For the Love of Evil
by kiavie-chan
Summary: A slayers LONG fan fic centered around Xelloss and Filia. Has the other characters too. Dolphin has something up her sleeve, and the demons and dragons play an important key. *Chapter 16 up! 'Daddy's Little Girl!*
1. Whispers

**Prologue**  
Whispers  
By: Kiavie Willowroot

Hey hey, Kiavie-chan here. I tried to fix the HTML...I think it worked ^_^ if you would like, visit my site at [Purple -n- Pink][1] it is still under construction though, for I am in the process of moving my site ^_^ Please forgive anything that offends you in this story. I know that Xelloss fall a little OOC later in the story...but COME ON! If you read the story, his personality has perfect reason to be different. It's still Xelloss, he's just...not evil. Naughty, playful and tricky, but not evil ^^;. Flames will be mocked, laughed at, and used to further my purpose in life: to write fics about my favorite couples! Ka ka ka ka ka! If you would like to e-mail me for any questions, comments, or corrections, contact me at kiavie@hotmail.com. Arrigato minna-san! 

I didn't hear you leave,  
I wonder how I am still here.  
And I don't want to move a thing  
It might change my memory.

Oh I am what I am,  
I'll do what I want,  
But I can't hide...

And I wont go...  
I wont sleep...  
I can't breath...  
Until you're resting here with me.

And I won't leave...  
And I can't hide...  
I cannot be...  
Until you're resting here with me...

I don't wanna call my friends,  
They might wake me from this dream.  
And I can't leave this bed,  
Risk forgetting all that's been.

Oh I am what I am,  
I'll do what I want,  
But I can't hide...

And I won't go...  
I won't sleep...  
I can't breath...  
Until you're resting here with me.

And I won't leave...  
And I can't hide...  
I cannot be...  
Until you're resting here with me.

"Here With Me" by Dido

Balance; is it truly necessary? The order of things, as it seems, are determined by utter chaos, yet there is balance within this blur, something that keeps the fabric of being from ripping asunder and turning it into the very chaos that rules it.

Huh, how bloody fascinating.

Misconceptions seem to thrive in chaos, yet have nothing to do with order. So many things throughout time have been twisted by the thoughts of angry people, altered by the gossiping tongue, misinterpreted by the young mind. All of this feeding chaos, and as these misconception breed, it feed the chaos that creates the order of life, even though misconceptions are a total disruption of order…

How bloody ironic.

Anyways, back to misconceiving an idea, when someone has been perceived by so many people as something different from what they are, they have a tendency to become what is perceived by others. Even if they want to be different, they simply can't because what is expected. 

Like a bunch if kids ruled by peer pressure. How bloody idiotic. 

Hmmm, but, what if a second chance is given? Without the expectations? You are the same person under different circumstances with the freedom to be as you are...

"Is it done?"

"Almost mistress. Only a few minor complications exist. Very minor, mistress."

"Good. How many orbs can you develop?"

"Four, plenty for our purpose. They link, so when placed at a certain parameter, the area inside…well…you know mistress."

"Good, good. And our accomplices?"

Laughter. "Don't worry mistress, they are more than happy to agree with our plans."

"Have you created the wielders?"

"Indeed, mistress."

"Also good. And with the prophisized one gone, nothing stand in our way..."

"Exactly, mistress."

More laughter...

Darkness…what is this? Filia looked about frantically, taking in the nothingness that was her surroundings.

She closed her eyes to calm herself as she felt the panic within her rise, and breathed a few times. I'm not falling, I'm suspended in the air. What is this? She thought for a very long time on what she was entrapped in, until her mind came across a thought.

"A dream...this must be a dream."

_Sort of, child. Not a dream, but not reality. A place in-between, if you will._

Filia jumped at the voice, startled to hear someone in her mind. She forced her nerves down again. "Why am I here?" The dragon maiden asked in a cool voice.

_A future, a past, a question, an answer. Many things are the reasons of why you are here, child._

"That doesn't answer my question, and who are you anyways?" Filia felt her frustration rise as she stared off into the blackness that greeted her, still not seeing the owner of the mysterious voice. It was neither masculine or feminine, a whisper, more or less, in her mind.

A light chuckle entered her mind. _My my, you certainly are impatient at times. Here, maybe I should show you. The place I take you will not look familiar, but someone is waiting for you there._

"Who? Who's waiting for me?" Filia was about to spout out more inquiries when suddenly the blackness became a swirl of nauseating color, spinning about until it finally settled on a bland landscape with nothing on the horizon. The ground was dried, cracked earth, and the sky was gray, unblemished, save the burning orb of the sun.

"Where..." The dragon maiden looked around, slightly irritated because her stomach was twirling about in such an uncomfortable manner.

Suddenly, instead of all around her like last time, a focused area around her became a swirl of color, undistinguished until is suddenly settled into a humanoid form. A humanoid form with purple hair...

"Namagomi!" Filia whipped out her mace and held it high in a defensive position as the mazoku gathered his bearings. His eyes were open for the moment, and were gazing at the blonde dragon. 

"Oh, hello Filia! How are you?" The trickster's eyes closed and his trademark grin slid across his face. 

"YOU! You are the one who put me here, aren't you? What are you planning? Why did you take me here you FREAK!" Filia was in total panic mode as she looked upon the purple-haired trickster priest standing before her. 

A little cross mark developed on Xelloss' temple as the accusations flew at him from the dragon maiden, and his free hand clenched. "I did not bring you here, I was wondering why I was here myself. Don't be a fool."

"Liar!"

Xelloss was on the verge of letting out a full on verbal assault when a voice cracked in their minds.

_Filia, he did not bring you here. I brought you both here to see something. WATCH!" _The harsh command slammed into their minds and made both listeners flinch. Once again, as before with Xelloss, a specific area began to reform itself into a scene of sorts, the multitude of color swirling about them.

First there was a woman, with her back turned to them. She radiated an aura of aweing power, power that make Xelloss open his eyes and Filia gasp in surprise, and ask she stood with her back turned, she waved her hand, and there was a light...

The light was blinding, impairing the vision of both observers. As their vision cleared, another figure stood before them. It was Valgarv, and he was very serene looking. He held a book before him, with his eyes closed. There was a faded image behind him of some very wise appearing people, all chanting and seemingly oblivious. The light flashed and feathers began to fall where Valgarv stood, and the wise men ceased their chanting. 

"What the hell is going on…?" Xelloss looked totally off guard, not exactly knowing what to think of what was going on around him. Filia was just as lost, and was, for once, ready to agree with Xelloss' question.

The feathers burst into light, blinding them once more. Once their visions cleared again, a figure, glowing but undefined stood before them. It was impossible to figure out who the person was. The blond woman appeared beside the figure, and waved her hand again, and in the figures hand appeared the same book as before. The wise men began to chant again, and the figure began to glow even more brightly. 

"Are you understanding any of this?" Xelloss whispered to the dragon maiden, totally lost on the meaning of everything that was happening. All she could do was shake her head in response, her eyes wide and confused.

Suddenly, the figure darkened, and four orbs began to surround the undefined person. The orbs were black and gold, both color swirling in a hazy mass. In the distance, inhuman screams and roars rang throughout the air, and the orbs grew brighter. A faded image of demons and dragons falling, crying out in pain as they collapsed shone on the horizon. Filia gasped in horror, and Xelloss stared forward calmly, wondering what this all meant.

The glowing figure began to change form, becoming two people, one slightly taller than the other. The glowing dimmed, and what it showed made both of their jaws drop.

There they were, back to back, heads down, eyes closed, and totally naked. Filia stared for a few moments before she came to her dragon senses.

"Don't you dare look, NAMAGOMI!" She slammed her fist into his head for good measure, just before the voice cracked into her head again.

_LET HIM WATCH, DRAGON MAIDEN!_

Filia, though reluctantly, complied. So there they stood. The orbs began to glow again, and both of their images cried out in pain and collapsed onto the ground. Their bodies began to glow again, and once again it became one glowing person.

A faded image once again appeared in the background, this one of Lina, Gourry, Amelia and Zelgadis. All four of them were acting as if they were looking for someone. They were shouting, but their words were silent to their ears.

The orbs disappeared, and a bright light flashed, once again. Once again their eye sight adjusted and suddenly they were again, but this time they were…different. Neither Filia nor Xelloss could quite put their finger on it. Suddenly Xelloss's image opened his eyes looking around in confusion. Filia's copy did the same after a few moments, looking about their surroundings.

_This is your future, children. Everything is foreordained._ "What is all this? I don't understand!" Filia cried. Suddenly the blackness that came before fell once again, but this time Xelloss was suspended next to her.

"I tire of this." Xelloss muttered, looking around with his eyes closed.

_Children. Born of light and dark, please, understand that your destiny requires different roles than the ones you play. Leave these roles, and become children of chaos. That is your destiny. The prophesy has been altered, those who brought about the end of the prophesized one tried to end the prophesy. Bare in mind children, that prophesies cannot be destroyed, they can only be slightly altered._

"What?" Both cried out in confusion, but before they could get any kind of answer, the blackness faded into reality, bringing them back to the waking world and away from the whispers.

   [1]: http://www.envy.nu/animeberry



	2. Loosing Someone You Love

Chapter 1

Loosing the One You Love

By: Kaivie Willowroot

 

 

Filia woke up with a start as she sat bolt upright in her bed in the pottery shop. She panted in fear as the light through her pink curtains flickered through and danced on her matching bed sheets and her arms. Her heart calmed as she realized that everything she just went through was a dream, a non-reality. 

 

She stepped out of her sheets, pulling on a robe over her and stepping out the door. The sun was well into the morning sky, lighting the shop nicely. 

 

_Well, I slept in a lot longer than I thought._

_ _

"Mom, breakfast is ready." Down the stairs was Val, having grown quite quickly in the past few years. He looked about ten in human years, standing at the bottom with some, slightly burn, pancakes with syrup.

 

"Thank you, dear." Filia took the plate and smiled down at him, taking her seat at the table where there was some tea already made for her. She sighed, feeling a little strange inside, feeling as if there was something different…like what she was doing wasn't real but was…she could never quite put words to it, but the feeling happened often.

 

Speaking of feelings, a rather creepy one began to crawl up the dragon's spine…

 

"Hello, Xelloss-san! Would you like some pancakes?" Val smiled at the mazoku who had suddenly appeared behind the blonde, who smiled back in return.

 

"Ah, hello Val-kun. Ooo, pancakes, don't mind if I do." The purple haired priest sat beside the young ancient and waited as Val put a couple of the slightly burnt pancakes onto a plate and smothered them in syrup.

 

All the while Filia was fuming silently. _I know I always taught Val to be polite…BUT WHY HIM!_ The huffing and puffing that occurred when she explodes out loud even occurs in her thoughts. _He always said that if he was to be polite to everyone else, he was included…I have to admit though, Xelloss is friendly with Val…but probably because it's on some sort of hidden agenda!_

_ _

Xelloss turned his face to Filia once her mental fuming finished, and smiled a little wider. "Well, Fi-chan, how are you?" Xelloss asked, with a strange edge to his voice.

 

Filia really looked at him, observing the mazoku's face, trying to determine what was off about him. _Funny…_ She thought_ he looks like he's tired, come to think of it. I wonder what could possibly bother him that much._

 

She cleared her throat and looked back to her plate. "I'm…fine."

 

"You don't sound like it."

 

"I didn't have a very good night's rest, that's all. Like it's any of your business." She growled the last part, viciously stuffing her face with pancakes.

 

There was silence, surprisingly. Filia looked up to see that his eyes were open and curiosity was written all over them. 

 

"I must be going…I have something to attend to…" Xelloss suddenly leaned back in his chair, and when it fell forward, he was gone.

 

"How rude…" Filia muttered.

 

 

"Gimme that, Gourry!" Lina yelled, grabbing the hunk of turkey that was left on his plate.

 

"No way!" He yelled back. A fight proceeded to follow as loud exclamations and empty food plates were flung about.

 

"Why does the day always begin and end with this sort of scene?" Zelgadis muttered, sipping his coffee glumly and looking a moody as possible.

 

Amelia sighed contentedly, her head resting in her folded ares, eyes closed and a cat like smile across her face. "This place is so quite. It's nice…well, with the exception of Lina-san and Gourry-san, that is, but no matter."

 

The group continued on with their night, proceeding normal as usual (well, normal for them) until later at night when they were about to proceed to bed. The front door bursted open, and a tall blonde woman with sunken eyes and a thin face stumbled in.

 

"Filia!" Lina ran up to her and held on to her friends elbow. "What happened to you?" 

 

"Val…" Filia choked, obviously weak, "I..he's gone. Someone took Val." She collapsed in an exhausted heap, leaving Lina and the others to help her up into a room. 

 

 

Filia woke up a few hours later to find several worried faces looking at her…well, mostly Lina and Amelia, Gourry was staring off into the distance and Zelgadis was making a point of looking sulky. 

 

"Uhhhhhhh…" Filia moaned, her head was pounding and her eyes stung from the small amount of light that illuminated the room. 

 

"Are you all right, Filia-san?" Amelia placed the back of her hand on the dragon's forehead in a motherly gesture to check her temperature. 

 

"Val…someone took him. A week ago, I heard him crying, so I went to go check on him. When I opened the door, a bright flash of light blinded me, and suddenly…he was gone. He kept calling to me…" Filia sobbed, feeling hopeless as she remembered the incident. "'Mommy…'" Filia cried harder, feeling her whole body tremble from her gasps for air.

Amelia was holding her right now, looking worriedly from one friend to another.

 

"Do you have any idea who might have taken him?" Zelgadis asked quietly, actually hinting his concern. "Any clue at all."

 

Filia suddenly clenched her fists as she looked at Zelgadis with tears rimming her eyes. "That…NAMAGOMI! I am almost positive it must have been him. He visited us earlier that day, but he was acting strange. I thought he was up to something. He took my Val!" She wailed, the tears coming down in a new shower. 

 

Like speaking of the devil, Filia felt an eerie, evil tingle all over her body as the mazoku materialized in the shadows of the room.

 

"That's ridiculous, I didn't take Val." He kept his whole body in the shadows, a silhouette clutching to a staff with both hands.

 

"Why should I believe you! You're evil, like you tell the truth!" Filia got to her feet, but was still woozy from lack of sleep, and stumbled as she went to charge Xelloss. Strangely, as she fell one of his gloved hands caught her and helped her gain her balance. But in the action, it brought his face to the light, and he was looking far more sickly than the last time she saw him, his eyes were closed but the smile was gone.

 

Amelia leaned toward Lina and whispered, "Lina-san, even though Xelloss-san is a mazoku, I never recall him ever lying to us. At least not a direct out-right lie. He would rather twist things around, wouldn't he?" 

 

"That's true, but it doesn't mean that his master didn't take Val or something. Xelloss just merely stated that he did not take him. Is it just me or does he look as torn up as Filia?" Lina examined the priest closely as he came into the light.

 

"Don't touch me namagomi!" Filia yelled, pulling away from him as he sighed.

 

"Listen, Filia. I did not take Val. I have no interest in the child and he is not the reason why I am here, though it does bring up and interesting point to all this." He rambled, opening his eyes lazily as he talked. It was like he wasn't up to being himself.

 

"Lina…" Gourry finally spoke, poking Lina in the shoulder.

 

"What is it, Gourry?"

 

"Who's that?" He asked, pointing to Xelloss.

 

Xelloss sweatdropped as he looked at the swordsman and laughed a little. "Never fails, does he?"

 

"THAT"S XELLOSS YOU IDIOT!" 

 

"Oh, and who's she?"

 

"THAT'S FILIA!"

 

"Ok…and who's Val?"

 

Lina yelled something incoherent as she clobbered him over the head. "Just shut up!"

 

"Xelloss-san, are you feeling well?" Amelia asked, looked at him with slightly worried eyes. 

 

"I've been better." He muttered, looking at Filia. "How long has Val been gone, Filia?" 

 

"He disappeared the night you came over, mazoku." She growled.

 

"For the last time, I didn't take him, but I might know who did." He looked at her with a serious set to his face, using both hand to hold him up against his staff.

 

"Out with it, already." Zelgadis muttered loudly, getting irritated by the drama Xelloss seemed to insist on playing.

 

"Well, there is reason to believe, I think, that the same person who took Val is the same person who took my master." His eyes looked hallow, like they lacked any sort of spark for anything. 

 

_They always had that evil gleam in them, or a mischievous one, whenever they were open. But they have…nothing._ Filia thought to herself, her natural concern for others kicking in for the moment. 

 

"Wait…someone took Ju-ouu-sama? What's going on?" Lina exclaimed, not quite believing what she heard. "How long has she been gone?"

 

"Well, two weeks. I…can't find her." Xelloss looked down and closed his eyes, trying to hide his worry from Lina and the others. _I feel so weak…what's happened to me?_

_ _

"Do you think shes…ummm…." Amelia was trying to step lightly around saying something so traumatic to him, assuming that the Beast Master was probably the only person he loved, if he was capable of such an emotion. 

 

"Dead?" Xelloss finished for her. "No, not dead. If she was, I wouldn't have my capabilities still, I think…I don't know anymore. The mazoku are disappearing and I have no idea where they are going." He walked over to a chair in the room and sat heavily.

 

"A pity…" Filia muttered sarcastically, sitting on her bed and rubbing her forehead.

 

"If they are disappearing, why are you still here, Xelloss?" Gourry asked suddenly, an actual thoughtful one on his part.

 

"I don't know. There are still some of us out there, but a major majority is gone now. Dolphin and her minions were the first to go…though her vanishing isn't much of a change. Besides, the woman is bonkers." 

 

"But…Val isn't a mazoku. Why would the same people take him if they are only after mazoku?" Amelia asked, looking a little perplexed.

 

"Because whoever is after the mazoku, is after the dragons also." Xelloss put simply.

 

"WHAT?" Filia's head snapped in his direction, her eyes large. "How do you know that?"

 

"Simple, the dragons were vanishing before the mazoku. My master, when she was still with me, asked me to investigate. So I went, and noticed that they were indeed going at a very alarming rate. Shortly after my master was taken, and I began to search for her. I decided to look over the dragons and see if I could find out who was taking them, that maybe they could lead me to my master. Well, it lead me to nothing. I decided to check on you, to see if you and Val were still there, and to my surprise you were. What I don't understand is why did they only take Val, and not you too Filia." Xelloss wasn't used to such long winded answers, he sighed again and clutched his head in his hands. 

 

Filia feel back, speechless. "The dragons…are…vanishing?" 

 

_You two are next… _the whisper came into both of their minds at the same time, quite unexpectantly.

 

"Get out of my head!" Filia yelled, clutching her temples and hiding her face.

 

Xelloss snapped his head toward Filia at her out of nowhere demand. He wasn't startled by the voice because he was often spoken to in his mind by his master, but…

 

"Filia, what did you hear?" Xelloss asked, getting up and standing in front of her.

 

"None of your business namagomi." She whispered, holding her head still.

 

"You two are next…" Xelloss said, mimicking the whisper.

 

"YOU! YOU ARE THE ONE TALKING TO ME IN MY HEAD?!" 

 

"What's going on?" Amelia asked, looking between the two with confusion. 

 

"Don't ask, and don't get involved yet…either of you." Zelgadis added as he saw Lina make what would look like an attempt to intervene.

 

Xelloss smacked his forehead in frustration. "No, you idiot. That voice has been talking to me too."

 

"You mean…that dream…" Filia asked, drifting off as she thought.

 

"Wasn't a dream. I don't sleep, really, it happened to me while I was traveling though the plane." He closed his eyes and scratched the back of his head. "We're next, huh? Yare yare…if they can take my master, I doubt we will be much trouble Filia."

 

"Yeah….wait, you saw the same dream? With the shifting figures and stuff?"

 

"Yes, why do you ask?"

 

"YOU SAW ME NAKED! NAMAGOMI!!!" 

 

 

[Go Back][1] [Next Chapter!][2]

   [1]: http://www.tbns.net/xelloss/evil
   [2]: http://www.tbns.net/xelloss/fanfiction/evil/orbs



	3. The Mysterious Orbs

**THE MYSTERIOUS ORBS**  
Chaper 2 For the Love of Evil  
Book one  
By Kiavie-chan

After some time (and severe bashing) the group left the inn and began traveling down a dirt road. In time, as the day went from morning, to afternoon, followed by early evening, the travelers noticed that throughout the day, the plant and animal life was becoming less and less. By the time the sun was about to set, it was like they were in a desert.

"Where the hell are we?" Lina asked, looking around, then down at the map in her hands. "There is nothing on the map that says anything about a desert. We should be able to see a town in the distance by now."

Xelloss walked over to Lina, looking over at her shoulder and studying the map for himself. "Ano, Lina, you know that this map is VERY old, don't you?"

"Old, waddaya mean?"

"As in outdated, the town that was hear was abandoned hundreds of years ago after a 7 year drought."

"What?! And you didn't bother to mention this little tidbit to us earlier?" The redheaded sorceress looked ready to blow up something...particularly a mazoku with purple hair.

"Well, I thought you knew. But the town is still there, it's just unoccupied." Xelloss gave his best at a cheerful smile and began walking again. "Besides, since there is nothing here that gives me any clues to the whereabouts of my master, I will continue forward."

Everyone looked totally beat. In fact, Amelia sat hard on the sand and looked at Zelgadis. "I think right here is fine to spend the night. If someone will make a fire, I'll attempt to make something to eat." Lina and Goury readily agreed with the princess as Zelgadis started a fire.

Filia looked at Xelloss as he was slowly putting distance between himself and the rest of the group. She felt the same as he, that there had to be something more she could do than stop and rest. "I'm going to keep going too. I'll check out the town and see if there is anything there. I'll meet you guys in the morning." And the dragon started to walk away.

Amelia looked at Zelgadis again, as he finished lighting the fire. "Do you thing it's safe for her to go out on her own like that?" Her brows created a worried crease as she studied the fading figure of the blonde.

"I'm sure she can look out for herself."

*****

Xelloss was worried. He was truly disturbed by the disappearance of his master, and disturbed by the empty feeling growing inside of him, like he was incomplete. He wasn't sure when this feeling developed, it had been building since before his master's dissapearance, but no matter. _I can't dwell on it_ he thought.

"Xelloss!" He heard his name and turned to find, to his surprise, Filia running to him without a mace in her hand or any apparent intentions to beat him to a bloody pulp.

"Nani?"

"Let me come with you."

"Nani?" He asked again.

"You've been looking for you master, and if the same people took Val, I'm comming with you. You already know where not to search."

Xelloss observed her through closed eyes for a moment before shrugging his shoulders. "Hai. Just don't get in my way." He continued to walk.

Filia felt her blood boil at his last remark, but kept her anger in check. _Why spend my energy just to give that namagomi something to munch on?_ she reasoned with herself.

In short time, they made it to the abandoned town. And oddly enough, there was a strange, magical reasonance comming from the entire area. Filia stepped closer to Xelloss and whispered. "What is that?"

"I have no idea..." He looked around, for some reason opting to keep his eyes open.

In the horizen, raidly approaching, the priest noticed four balls of glowing light. Something about them was familiar..."The vision. Filia, those are the orbs from the dream, aren't they?"

Filia glanced at them and nodded her head in agreement. 

"I think we better get out of here and fast." Xelloss grabbed the dragon around her waist and levitated as fast as he could to the camp.

"Hey, let me GO you filthy-good-for-nothing-BAKA!" The dragon screamed, balling up her fists and getting ready to clobber the preoccupied mazoku.

"That would be unwise, Fi-chan. I believe those are the people who are causeing all the trouble."

"What makes you think that?"

_Becasue we are. We told you, you are next..._

Filia caste a nervous glance at the orbs, they were closing in the distance and fast. She looked forward and saw the camp fire, just as far away. There was no way they would make it there in time, the orbs were too fast. "They are catching up, Xelloss..."

"I know this..." His lips were set in a firm line as he went as fast as he could.

"LINA-SAN! HELP US!" Filia yelled at the top of her lungs, trying to catch their attention.

Moments later, a bright light flashed, and overwhelming pain swept through her body. Filia only barely here Xelloss scream likewise as they came crashing to the ground and rolled several yards. The orbs were surrounding them, and glowing fearcly.

*****

"LINA-SAN! HELP US!"

Lina's head shot up from her food, as well the other's, as they heard Filia's familiar voice call out a plea for help. Xelloss was carrying her, and four glowing balls were chasing them. 

"What's going on?" Gourry asked, still biting into his bread as he stood up.

"Whatever that is, it's enough to worry Xelloss." Zelgadis muttered before he casted rei wing. _I may not like that fruitcake, but if those balls are enought to send him running..._

Everyone else was not too far behind. 

Suddenly, a bright flash of magical light blinded them, and halted their pursuit.

"What's that light?" Amelia asked worriedly. As soon as she asked her question, screaming rose into the air. Their eyes came back into focus and noticed that the balls of light surrounded the mazoku and the dragon, and both were collapsed on the ground screaming in pain.

"Hey, get away from them!" Lina yelled, charging toward the globes.

Filia reached out toward Xelloss, grimacing in near unbearable pain. "Xelloss....we have to get out...." She groaned. 

Xelloss opened his eyes, pain-filled and slightly disoriented. He reached to he in return, he wasn't quiet sure why he did so.

The light flashed again, and when the light went away, both were gone, leaving the other four utterly confused.

*****

Xelloss was feeling quite bitter at this point. He looked around at the walls surrounding him in slight discomfort, and rapped his knuckles once again against the metal bars...and once again causing seering pain to shoot up his arm. He attempted to shake the pain away, but the pain continued, as before. Xelloss clutched his hand and sat down hard on the stone floor.

Filia sighed in irritation, sitting on the stone floor herself and resting her head against the wall with her eyes closed. The shackles on her wrists had warmed to her temperature, and were not so...blantently there as they were a few hours ago since the once ice cold metal was not bitting into her anymore. Filia opened her eyes when she heard Xelloss sit on the ground, and found him sitting cross-legged, looking at the shackles on his wrists and fiddling with the chain.

Xelloss felt her looking at him, and looked up to meet her eyes. He hadn't bothered to keep them closed like he usually did, but then he hadn't been acting quite himself lately. He kept her eyes locked with his for a moment before he sighed and looked away. They had been stuck in that cell for at least 24 hours; when they were first brought to this place, they were seperate. Both had some ritual performed on them, leaving both weak and strangely different, though neither could quite put their finger on it.

"What do you think they are going to do to us?" Filia asked, torturous images plaguing her for the last few hours finally compelled hre to ask.

Xelloss was silent, looking out the bars with a blank look. After staying silent for a while, he finally answered. "Who knows. Your people and my kind have been disappearing for a while now, and it seemed we were next...whatever happened to them I imagine will happen to us."

Should have figured. Filia thought to herself, sighing imwardly and keeping quiet. 

After the silence hung in the air for a while, Xelloss got back on his feet. Thinking he was going to touch the bars again, Filia leaned her head back again and closed her eyes. To her surprise though, she felt something shift beside her, and found that Xelloss moved to go sit next to her. He pulled his knees up, and rested his head sideways on them, his face turned towards her. His look was expectant.

"What?" Filia asked irritably, wondering what stupid game he was going to pull to get some cheep pleasure.

"Keep talking." The priest whispered.

"Huh?"

"Keep talking. This place is so quite."

_What is with him?_ Filia was totally baffled. "About what?"

"Anything. I don't care about what."

Filia suddenly got a wicked thought as he conceded to _anything_. "How about love and how wonderful life is?"

"I don't care if you sing the genki song. Anything." He thought for a moment, and spoke again. "In fact, do tell me about how wonderful life is. Why is your life wonderful?"

She was taken aback slightly. After Filia got over being stunned, she shrugged her shoulders. "Because I have people who love me, I guess. And I have lots of friends."

"That's all that makes life wonderful? That compensates for hate, greed, malice, death, eccetera? Love and friendship?"

"Yeah, I suppose. Sounds a little silly I guess. But maybe I am an optimist. What are you doing?!" Xelloss had slid a hand up to her hair and was looking at one of the locks distractedly.

"You hair...it reminds me of Juu-ou-sama's."

"I'm nothing like that monster." Filia growled, offended at his comment of her resembling a mazoku lord in any form.

"Hmph." Xelloss released her hair and turned his face away. "Whatever. Might as well just zone out until they come back."

"'_Hmph'_ indeed." Filia put her head against the wall, waiting as the priest did.

It wasn't long before someone fetched them and began to lead (more like drag) the dragon and the mazoku down several halls and through countless doors. Finally after about three hours of walking, they ended up in front of two huge ornate doors, covered with several sea creatures and seaweed designs. The doors opened, admitting the two shackled captives. Sitting on a throne which resembled a hige wave, a woman with cascading blue hair and a beautiful, if young, face stared off into what appeared nothing. A man shrouded in a dark cloak stood beside her, unmoving and quiet. 

They were shoved forward into a circle, once again surrounded by the colorful orbs that captured them in the first place. They were glowing dimly, but the blinding light that surrounded them the first time they encountered the mysterious orbs did not surround them again. 

Deep Sea Dolphin looked at her captives. "Well well well. Looks like we finally caught the little wolf." She snickered, standing and walking to the edge of the circle closest to Xelloss. "And the lizard." Dolpin moved her gaze to Filia, who stared difiantly at their captor. 

"So you are the one doing all this. Where is Jouu-sama?" Xelloss demanded, a firm set to his chin as he looked up at the youngest of the dark lords.

"With the other dark lords, mazoku, and dragons. You see, the whole time I have been...absent from the affairs of the world, my servants and I were researching a way to...simplify things around here. As you know, there is this huge stupid war that has been fought about the decision of the fate of the world. Personally, I don't want to destroy the world...yet. I'll do it eventually, but not until I toy with it for a couple thousand years at least. But for total conquest, one needs to eliminate the competition. Sorry priest, but the momma wolf was one of the competition. But, some of the competition cannot be completley eliminated. So, instead of destroying everyone, I restrained them. There is a balance of good, evil, and chaos, but they are not represented by mazoku, dragon, and human in truth. They are represented by the spirit of the person. A human with an evil heart can tip the balance toward evil, as well as a mazoku with a good heart can tip it the other way (though that case is rare). That is going to be that hard part about ruling this world, I have to make sure that there remains a balance so there is a world to rule. Enough of that. I am so close to conquest I can taste it. I still need help maintaining things though, and I want you to be part of my army, so to speak." She looked at Xelloss, smiling to herself.

Xelloss smiled back and opened his eyes. "I think not."

Dolphin got up, laughing lightly. "I thought as much. Too loyal to your precious master. Well, what if you recieved a direct order from her?" Dolphin knodded to the man in black, and he created an image of Jouu-sama, bound by similar chains and sitting in a corner. 

"Ah, there she is. Oh Hellllllloooooooo!" Dolphin made a waving motion to the image. The Beastmaster looked up at her, a nasty look overcomming her face as she looked upon the lord. 

Filia was...surprised to see how pretty she was. She thought that the woman would be a little bit more...scary looking. _ And he said I reminded him of her..._What also surprised her was the reaction Xelloss was giving: his eyes were wide and intent as he looked at the image, and his face almost resembled...panic. 

"What do you want?" Zelas snapped. 

Dolphin reached across the circle and grabbed Xelloss' chin, raising his face up so the Beastmaster would notice her servant that knelt on the ground. "I caught your little pup."

Zelas didn't move or flinch. She looked at Xelloss with a blank expression, not saying anything for a long moment. "And why do you show me? To mock me?"

"I want you to tell him something. Command him into my power."

"WHAT?"

"I want you to order him to become my servant."

Zelas looked at Xelloss and smiled. "No. Don't serve her."

"You both are so damn stubbron." Dolphin made another motion at the man in black and in a moment Zelas was surrounded by a strange glow, followed by a scream of pain.

"You see, I now have the power to directly channel positive emotions into a single person, or negative. You still refuse, Juu-ou-sama?" 

"Xelloss..." Zelas had her head hanging in pain as she called out his name. 

"Please...don't order me to serve her..." Xelloss whispered. 

"I order you to..."

Filia looked at Xelloss as his eyes grew wide and his head sank slightly.

"Spit on her feet, and deny her any control over your powers." 

His head snapped up, and a smile crossed his face. "As you wish." And he did as he was told.

Dolphin showed no outward reaction..at first. Her anger at this defiance rose steadily within her, and she made a quick snapping motion at the shouded man. A peircing scream from Zelas managed to get to their ears before her image dissapeared.

Dolphin looked at Xelloss and Filia for a moment, thinking deeply to herself for a moment before she spoke again. "Drain them...completely this time. I want them mortal."

The orbs glowed, then flared to a blinding brilliance. A sharp needling pain lanced through Xelloss and Filia's body as the light grew brighter. Xelloss collapsed before Filia, falling face first into the ground. Filia reached out with her hand towards him like before, still not even sure she was compelled to, even though the pain almost overwhelmed her. "Xelloss...?" Then blackness.

Dolphin looked upon the still figures in anger. "How the mighty have fallen."

"What are you going to do now mistress? Do you wish me to kill them?"

"No, no. Something better. I want you to give the pup a nice little wash, if you know what I mean. Do as you did with the others, send him back in a situation that is suitable for my purposes."

The man nodded is head, and pointed at the blonde dragon. "What about the Priestess?"

"Keep her alive, and wash her too. I have grande plans for her...she will be the instrument in which I teach the little wolf a lesson in pain with. Send her back as well, but not together with him, that might rise a complication, like a brother/sister arangment. Oh, and arrange to give them the same gifts we gave the others."

*****

_Twenty four ago, on a boat called the "Sea Blossom" in a dock of a large city to the west..._

"Captain! Captain Marner!" 

Captain Marner, a middle aged man of the sea, looked up from his charts as a younger man with blonde hair and a almost dainty nose, his first mate, burst into his chambers. Marner was a gentle looking man, with many wrinkles and scars and a mustach that covered his lips, so when he talked, all you saw was his mustache move up and down. Broad sholdered and tall, with iron gray hair that was pulled into a low ponytail. His eyes were green and young looking, eyes of a man who enjoyed to laugh. He was kind and goodnatured, a man with many virtues.

"What is it, sonny?"

"Yer not gonna believe what th' boys found in the crow's nest..." "Hmm? What was it?"

"Ye gotta see it fer yerself, Captain." His first mate shook his head to so his disbelief, and walked out of his chambers, not even bothering to see if Marner was following. He was, curious to see what was so unbelievable. Once he reached the deck, he saw the men were gathered around in a circle, muttering to themselves.

He pushed though his men to see what they were all looking at, and at their feet was a basket. "What the hell?" There was a baby in the basket, eyes wide and chubby arms flailing. It had downy purple hair and purple eyes _I thought most babies had blue eyes when they were this young..._. The poor thing couldn't have been more than a few weeks old. There was a silver locket with an engraved dolphin in the basket. He picked it up and tried to open it, realizing that it was only half a locket. He flipped it over, reading the simple engraving: _Xelloss_

Marner looked at the baby for a long moment, then looked at his nearest crew member. "He was in the crow's nest?" The captain had been hearing stories about ships finding babies in their midst. Most believed them to be gifts from the sea goddess, Marner himself didn't know what to think.

"Aye, Captain...what shall we do with it?" 

"For one, "it" is a boy...named Xelloss." He handed the locket to him and bent to pick up the little baby. "And for two, you boys better make room for a new shipmate."

"Wait, Captain, are yer sure this is a good idea?" His first mate asked, perplexed and slightly worried that the Captain so suddenly and without any long consideration decided on something so serious.

"Of course. If we leave the poor thing in a city, they'll leave him to be street trash, you know how those land dwellers can be. He's better of with us."

"But, what about th' mother?"

"The mother obviously does not want him."

"Maybe she accidentally..."

"Nobody leaves a baby in a _crow's nest_ on accident with a locket with his name written on it, for the gods sake THINK ABOUT IT!~"

"Are you sure you are ready to take up such a resposibility?"

"Of course. And who said I was doing it alone?" He looked at his first mate and grinned evilly.

The first mate face faulted and sputtered. "Captain, ye can't be serious! Me, US as a crew raise a baby?"

"Sure thing, it'll give all you a gentle side. At least it's a boy, you would have no clue how to raise a girl."

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   [1]: http://www.tbns.net/xelloss/evil
   [2]: http://www.tbns.net/xelloss/fanfiction/evil/blossom



	4. The Sea Blossom

**THE SEA BLOSSOM**  
Chaper 3 For the Love of Evil  
Book one  
By Kiavie-chan

_fourteen years ago, out at sea in the Sea Blossom..._ "Ha ha ha haaaa!" The little purple haired boy stuck his tongue out at one of the crew mates and giggle some more as he held his cards. "I'm winning!"

The man tried to looked dismayed, obviously trying not to laugh at the young boy. "Yer sure are good at this game, Xelloss. I get me butt kicked every time!"

The boy blushed a little and laughed some more. "Got any twos?"

Across the boat Marner observed little Xelloss playing cards with one of the men. "Huh, he's so happy and content. What a good kid." 

"Captain, we're ready to dock!" The navigator in the crows nest called out, waving his arms and smiling broadly. "Alright!" Marner yelled back. 

Xelloss threw his cards down and ran up to Marner. "We are gonna be in a town today?" His eyes were big and hopeful, his eyebrows raised so high that there was no trace of them under his bangs.

"Aye. Lemme guess, you want some ice cream."

"Ice cream! Yeah! Icecreamicecreamicecreamicecreamicecream...." One the boy went chanting as he ran benieth the deck to get a change of clothes. Marner had the entire crew change their clothes, since the ones they wore on deck got rather...ripe, let's just say, after being on someones back for many days, if not weeks, in a row. The townflok were generally offended by the smell, and service was bad in taverns and inns when their appearance was that messy. 

Xelloss came tearing out of the door to the lower decks like there was no tomorrow and in a flash ran up to Marner and began jumping up and down again demanding icecream. He was wearing a white tunic and black pants, with a pair of brown leather sandels. Marner shook his head at the sight of him jumping up and down frantically, but decided that keeping the boy from his icecream any longer might cause him to explode.

"Come on, Papa! Let's GO!" Xelloss grabbed Marners much larger hand and pulled, both not budging. Marner shook his head again and bit back a laugh. "We're goin' we're goin'. You're such a spoiled brat." He teased.

Xelloss folded his arms across his chest and stuck his nose up in the air. "Call me names AFTER you get me my icecream."

For the third time, the only thing the Captain could do in response was shake his head. He held the young boy as the boat docked, and immediatly departed after the planks were set. They had been in this city before, Ulhan, he believed it was called. He left such details to his first mate. He only recognized the streets. It was late afternoon, and the market was packed. But, the captian was able to find the boy his icrcream. And as usual, he got is favorite, chocolate/vannila swirl. He felt some paternal instinct in him, though, when he noticed how fast his boy was wolfing down the cold dessert.

"Hey, slow down there, or your gonna..." He didn't finish in time.

"ITTTTTEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Xelloss squinched his eyes and shook his head from side to side in pain. The young boy stumbled back, into the crowd, quickly being swept away by the rush of people. 

Marner had closed his eyes for a second when Xelloss started complaining about the headache caused by the icecream, and in that split second when he was practicing his habit of shaking his head at the young boy, he was gone. "Xelloss?" He looked around quickly, not seeing his purple hair anywhere. "XELLOSS!" He began to push through the crowd in desperation. _Where could be 'ave gone off too?_

*****

After Xelloss recoved himself, both his headache and off the ground *the people were rushing by so past they had knocked him down* he realized he had managed to salvage his icecream. He smiled with childish relief and noticed that "Papa" was no where to be found. 

"Nani?" He looked side to side, his hair swishing in his face he was whipping left to right so fast. "Papa?" He began to wander through the street, occasionally calling out "Papa!" Waiting for an answer. He stopped to ask people where the docks were, but no one gave him the time of day.

"I'm too busy kid, go back to your parents."

"But...!"

"Sorry little boy, can't help you."

"You see...!"

Xelloss continued to wander though, not too distraught, that is, until it started to become dark. He Was getting tired of looking, and was getting hungry again. He felt the tears well up in his eyes, but he fought them back. He wiped the back of his wrist across his eyes, and as he stood in one spot, he noticed another child sitting on some steps in a back alley. 

"Well, since the adults won't talk to me, maybe that kid will." The other child had a shawl wrapped around their head, old dirty shorts and a loosly hung shirt that was far too big and bare feel that were so dirty it looked like they had never been washed. Xelloss walked up behind the other child and tapped them on the shoulder. "Um...excuse me...?!"

The other child whipped around and grabbed his wrist, pulling him towards themself until their other hand was clasped on his throat. Xelloss was scared quiet, no one had ever attacked him before, and he wasn't sure how to handle this situation.

"Don't sneak up on me like that!" The childs eyes were blue, the face delicate but caked with dirt. As Xelloss examined the face before him, he noticed that it was a girl. When the fright began to fade away, Xelloss began to stuggle pushing against the arm and twisting his head side to side. In his effort, his locket fell out of his shirt. The girls eyes widened.

"Where did you get that?" She let go of his and grabbed at it with both hands.

"Hey! Let go of that, it's mine!" Xelloss pushed her away, grabbing the locket protectivly and stepping back. Then he noticed the glittering chain on her neck. It looked like his. 

She looked down at her chest, and pulled out and identical locket, showing him the same engraved dolphin, a mirror image. 

"How did you get that?" Xelloss glared down at her hand, then at her face. She pulled back her shawl, revealing her long brown hair.

"I asked you first."

"I've had it as long as I can remember. My papa said he found it with me. Where did you get yours?" Xelloss kept a suspcious eye on her, not willing to part with this important possesion incase she was some sort of steet rat.

"I've had mine for as long as I can remember. Does yours have your name on it?"

"Yes....why?"

"Mine does too, see?" She took off her necklace and held the back up so he could see her name in it, engraved with the same calligraphy as his: Filia.

Without a word, he took his off and held it out for her to see. 

She looks at it. "Xelloss..." she thought for a moment, "That name is familiar...I don't know why becasue I know I have never heard of it before."

"I was about to say the same about you. Do you have a real mom or dad?"

"No. I was found..."

"On a ship."  
"On a ship."

Filia and Xelloss stared for a long time. Xelloss carefully asked his next question. "So....why do you live on the streets now?"

"Like the people on the boat wanted to take care of me." She snorted. 

Xelloss gave her a confused look. "I don't see why not. The captain of the boat I was found on took care of me."

After a moments silence, Filia picked up his locket, but not in an alarming way, so Xelloss did not attempt to take it back. She put the backs together and they locked. 

"Huh. They seem to be two sides to the same locket." She looked up at him. "Are we brother and sister or something?"

Xelloss thought for a moment. "Naw, I don't think so. First of all, if we had the pieces to a locket, we would be twins. How old are you?"

"Eight."

"See, I'm ten. That's a two year gap. Unless our parents planned ahead of time to have children and abandon them with lockets, I don't think so. Besides, we look nothing alike."

"Then why do we have these?"

Xelloss shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe it's a secret. But for some reason I have this gut feeling that we are not related." Xelloss thought for a moment as he took the locket from her hands and seperated the peices. taking his back. Then he remembered what he was origionally doing. "Oh yeah! Do you happen to know where the dock is? No one would help me, that's why I approached you in the first place." He put his chain back on and tucked the locket into his tunic.

She smiled, doing likewise by tucking her's into her large shirt. "Yeah, I know the way. I'll show you. It's not like I have anything better to do."

The sky was dark, and barely anyone was left on the Sea Blossom, just a few crewmen to watch the ship.

Xelloss and Filia stood by the plank, not seen by the crewmen. He looked at Filia and smiled. "Ah, arrigato, Filia-chan. My papa must be worried. I should be leaving now"

Filia knodded her head, though slightly sadly. "No problem. I would return to a home like this if I had one."

"Ja ne, Xelloss-chan."

Though slightly urked at being called "chan", Xelloss started to walk up the planks. He paused in midstep as he thought. _I can't leave her. There's no way._ "Filia-chan!" 

Filia turned to look at Xelloss. She thought he was still on the plank, but he ran to her and grabbed her wrist. "Come on, the ship will be leaving later this evening. If you get on now, no one will notice you." He smiled at her, and before she could answer pulled her up the plank and behind a storage barrel, waiting for one of the men to pass by. He held his finger to his lips and lead her below deck, down a hall, and into his room. He closed the door and locked it, walking over to his bed and sitting down heavily, looking at Filia.

"Why did you do that?" She proclaimed, going for the door. "I didn't ask to..."

"No you didn't ask. I brought you here. Do you relly think you would be happy being grungy all your life and smelling the way you do?" He gave her a smug look. 

She marched across the room and knocked his across the head hard. "Ow! Iteeee, that hurt, Filia!" 

"Well, you should watch what you say to girls." She folded her arms across her chest irratibly. 

"Yare yare, you are loud." He commented, quickly dodging her next blow. "Anyways, if you are going to stay on this ship, you are giong to have to clean yourself up first. There is a bath tub down the hall, I'll get it ready. We rarely use it, we keep it on board for passangers that like to take frequent baths."

"Oh? And what do you suppose I wear?" 

"Some of my clothes, I have some things that are too small for me." 

"What? Me wear boys clothes? You have to be kidding." 

"No I'm not, and anything I give you is better than what your wearing so stop whinning."He opened the door quickly and shut it behind him, getting the bath for her ready. No one went below deck when they were docked and this few people on board, so Xelloss wasn't worried at the moment. 

He got the bath ready, and went back to his room. After looking at her, he thought twice. "I think you will need two baths, one isn't enough." The look on her face was deadly. "Gomen! But still, it wouldn't hurt. Besides, your a girl, girls like baths from what I understand. The first bath you can wash off the majority of the dirt, the second you can used some of this smelly soap." He tossed her a pink bar of soap. Filia held it in her hands and smelled it carefully. 

"Mmmm. It smells good. Where did you get this?" 

"The lady that traveled with us not too long ago told my papa that I smelled bad, and I needed to use that. I have nothing against soap, really, just something against smelling like a girl." He stopped in front of a door and opened it, stepping it. There was a large tub, and a small bucket full of steemy warm water. 

Xelloss pointed to the bucket. "Use that to wash your feet first before you get in there." He moved his extended finger to line up with the wooden tub. "You get the water less dirty that way. I'll go through my clothes and see if I can find anything. Keep quiet, alright? I don't want to get in trouble becasue of you." 

"Hey, you are the one that brought me here, baka!" 

"Baka? You are so rude!" Xelloss' face twitched slightly. "I can't believe I am helping this loud mouthed brat!" He slammed the door behind him and stomped to his room. 

"Of all the ungreatful, whiny, *mutter mutter complain complain*" all the while he pulled out the clothes too small for him and built a tiny pile as he complained. 

Meanwhile, Filia was throughly enjoying herself, after she got over her anger. She sunk into to the water, a feeling that she was without for a long time. After relaxing for a moment, she scrubbed vigorously at the dirt on her body, soaking her hair as well. After she was done, she stepped out and looked at the water. It was brown. She looked at the bar of scented soap longingly, but heald back. 

"He was right. I do need two baths." She looked around and without a problem found the water barrels, as well as the drain they used to dump the old water. She pulled the plug at the bottom and watched it drain into the hole. After pouring some cold water into the tub, and cleaning it out, she looked for whatever it was they used to heat the water. She couldn't figure it out. 

"Oh well." She shrugged. "I'll take a cold bath." She hopped in with her bar of soap, not too bothered by the temperature, and scrubbed again at her whole body, once again paying special attention to her hair. She finished her bath rather quickly, wanting to stay longer but deciding not to push it. One the ground near the wall was a pile of towels, so Filia took the liberty of using one, drying herself as quicky as possible. As soon as she was finished there was a knocking on the door, and it cracked open slightly. "Filia-chan? Are you done?" 

"Hai. Thank you." 

"Um....yeah. Well, here is some clothes." He tossed several articals of clothing in. "I don't know which you would like, so I brought several." His face was still hidden behind the door. 

"Arrigato." 

The door started to shut before Filia called out. "Oi! Xelloss-chan, hold on!" 

"Nani?" He asked irritably. _There is that damned "chan" again._

"I know that there is only a bunch of men on this ship...but, would you happen to have a hairbrush? I know you probably don't have one, but..." 

His head popped around the door. "I have a brush, Fi-chan! My hair is long, you know! Wow, your hair is blonde, not brown!" Then he sweatdropped. 

"AHHHHHHHH! Henti!" Filia, who was only wearing her towel, took a couple steps back and bumped into the bucket full of dirty water. "PERVERT!" She grabbed the bucket and launched it at him. 

"Ack!" He pulled back and shut the door quickly, letting the bucket slam into the door. Not a second later, he pops his head back in. "Baka! What are you trying to do?" Then he heard someone yell from the deck. 

"Damn." He rushed in, gathering the clothes he left for her and threw them behind the barrles. "Get back there, quick!" Xelloss pushed her, hearding her like an animal to the barrels.

"Hey, who do you think you are pushing me around like that...NANI?" Filia's eyes became large and rounded as he pulled off his shirt and his shoes. "Henti!" 

He whirrled on her. "Would you STOP saying that!" He threw his shirt into her face, causing her to stumble back. Xelloss hopped into the bath with his pants on, making sure they were hidden undre the water. Filia was about to yell at him again when she heard the foot steps pounding down the hall. "Eep!" Was all she could summon from herself before she dove behind the barrels with the clothes. 

Xelloss looked at the water he was in, and scrubbed at himself, the purfumed soap was almost dizzying it was so strong.

Two crew men charged in and looked at the young boy in surprise. "Xelloss! Yer are alright! The captain has been looking all over for yer butt, why didn't you tell us ye were here?" One of the men looked at the piled of dirty clothes that belonged to Filia.

Xelloss looked at them, not able to say anything at first, then smiled. "Well, um, I was lost. When I found my why here, I noticed I got a little...dirty. So I thought I would take a bath." He smiled even more broadly, laying on the innocence as much as possible. 

"A little dirty? Xelloss, these are disgustin'!" One of them said, picking them up. "I think they need to bath with the sea." He stepped out with the dirty shirt, shorts and shawl. The other stayed though, with an odd look on his face. "Xelloss..."

"Hai?"

"Are ye using ladies soap?"

Xelloss studied the water VERY hard, feeling the rising blush in his face. "Hai." He said quietly.

"Xelloss..."

"Hai?"

"WHY?"

Xelloss thought for a moment and smiled a little. "Sore wa himitsu desu."

"Nevermind." The sailor sighed. "I'll tell Marner that yer ok."

"Arrigato."

Several hours later, after ship left dock, Marner when to go see Xelloss in his room after cooling off from being so mad for not telling him he was alright. The boy had a really bad habit of disappearing on him.

He knocked on the door once then opened it, "Xelloss, I just wanted to...who is that?"

"This is Filia-chan, Papa. I wanted her to come with us."

"So you decided to sneak her on board without telling me?"

"Well, yeah. Sort of."

"Xelloss, kids aren't pets! You can't take off with them. Don't worry...Filia-chan, was it?....you'll be back to your parents in no time."

"I don't have any."

"Eh?"

"I don't have any parents, I live on my own."

"Awful small to be goin' and doin' somethin' like that."

"Papa, she has the same locket as me."

That got Marner's attention.

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   [1]: http://www.tbns.net/xelloss/evil
   [2]: http://www.tbns.net/xelloss/fanfiction/evil/teacher



	5. The Teacher from Hell

**For the Love of Evil**  
The Teacher From Hell  
By: Kiavie Willowroot

_Seven years ago, still on the Sea Blossom..._

"FFFFFIIILLLLLLIIIAAAAAAA!" Xelloss yelled out. "Give those back!"

Filia scaled up the mast of the crow's nest that Xelloss was found on. She reached the observation point and smiled wickedly down at him. "Now why EVER would I do a thing like that?" She asked sweetly.

He glared at her, his eyes narrowning dangerously. "Filia, you're going to start another war. You're going to regret this if you go through with it."

Marner watched from the wheel, sighing heavily. "How much of my ship are they going to destroy this time?" He muttered. He learned a long time ago that there was nothing he could do to stop the bitter fighting between Filia and Xelloss. Filia had come to live with them eight years ago, and was now fifteen years old, Xelloss being seventeen. "I thought kids were hard, teenagers are a whole different species on their own."

"But Xelloss-CHAN, we need a new flag!"

_Uh-oh, I see where this is heading..._ Marner looked at his first mate and walked solmnly to the farthest part of the deck away from those two.

"DON'T CALL ME CHAN YOU GOOD FOR NOTHING LOUD MOUTHED MEAN TEMPERED ILL MANNERED BRAT!" He fummed, actually developing those fangs that normally female characters develop then they are mad.

Filia sputtered. "Ill mannered... loud mouthed....BRAT! Namagomi!" She flung up a pair of purple boxers with little hearts on them and pinned them to the mast, the finishing touch being Filia sticking her tongue out at him. "Baka!"

Marner gulped. She used the "insult". She called him "namagomi" again.

"Nama...gomi?" Xelloss' whole person turned several shades darker.

"Oh great, the "spell slingers" are gonna go at it again." His first mate put on a pair of sunglasses and sat down on a pile of thick rope. 

"You are SO DEAD blondy!" He snarled. "And give me back my underwear!" 

"Make me!"

"FIREBALL!" A huge ball of flame flew right at her. "Ack!" She jumped out and cast a levitation spell.

Marner got a little irritated. "If you two insist on trying to kill eachother, would you please try not to get my ship involved in all this. Otherwise, NO FIRE SPELLS!"

"Fine!"  
"Fine!"

"Quit copying me!"  
"Quit copying me!"

"I said stop it!"  
"I said stop it!"

Both let out a frustraited scream and a whole flurry of spells.

The first mate chuckled. "Oi, so when are you two going to realize you have a crush on eachother?"

Marner got a panicked look on his face as he quickly scooted away from his first mate. "And here I thought you were smart.." he muttered.

"Nani?"  
"Nani?"

"Me like HER?"  
"Me like HIM?"

Both looked at him darkly, an almost bloodthirsty look was in both of their eyes. Even more frightening was that Xelloss turned to Filia and smiled. "Do you want to take care of this or me?"

Filia thought for a moment. "You, I took care of the last accusation."

An evil grin slid across his face. "No problem. I will enjoy this all too much. We can fishish this later, anywho. This is more important."

He took an odd pose as he looked at the first mate and bagan chanting. 

_"Darkness beyound twilight..."_

Marners eyes grew big. He made a point of it to recognize that chant after Xelloss' first explosion. _What is wrong with that boy, horomones?!?_

"Xelloss, not THAT spell!"

He stopped in midchant. "Fine. Something else then."

This time Xelloss kept the chant quiet so Marner could not hear it. At this point his first mate was white with fear, and looking like he was about to run. 

"Oh no you don't! You stay there and take it like a man. Or they are both going to hunt you down. Better one than the both of them. And I'll be damned if my ship is gonna take damage because you said something stupid."

Two big streams of tears ran down either side of his face. "But Captain..."

"Explosion Array!"

*****

Later, that night Filia walked up to Xelloss' door and knocked. "Hai?"

She stepped in and looked around briefly. For some reason, in the past five years, Xelloss had become increasingly interested in music. There was several insruments lying around, a piano tucked in a corner, and music sheets scattered across the floor. His room was almost always tidy so he must have just made a mess. Filia new he liked music, but she thought it was only a little.

"I didn't know that you were this interested in music."

He smiled, and sat down with a violin in his lap. "I didn't quite know that either."

"Why do you like it so much?"

"Why do you like to sing so much?"

A flush of heat rushed up her cheeks. _He can hear me sing at night...how embarrising..._"I guess, well, it lets me talk without talking. If that makes any sense." She sighed. 

"Well, I guess you can say the same for me, though I never really thought of it that way."

"You're hiding from Tarrama-sensei, aren't you?" Filia accused suddenly.

"Like your not hiding yourself." He snorted, checking the strings of the violin and making the proper adjustments. 

Tarrama was a woman who appeared, quiet mysteriously, in their lives about the same time that Xelloss and Filia first (?) met. She insisted that captain Marner take her along with them to teach both children the proper uses of magic. She explained that she felt strong magical energies from both, and that they were liable to let loose of their power in any stressful situation if not taught to control it. He agreed, as well as parted with a sum of his money for the service. Now for almost five years this woman has been hovering over them and nagging them around every corner.

"I am so glad she did not see that scene we caused earlier today." Filia breathed. "She would have scolded us to no end."

"One of these days she's going to get a fireball to the rear." Xelloss grumbled.

Filia laughed lightly. "I would love to see that. Anyway, do you really want to ditch lessons today?"

Xelloss grinned. "Any chance, any time!"

"Then come on, we only have so much time."

"How are we going to hide from her?"

"We are docking, right now."

"Yare, yare, Fi-chan. I never knew that you had this naughty streak in you." A cat-like smile crossed his face and he gently laid the instument inside a leather case.

Filia glared at the young man. "Knock it off, Xelloss. This has nothing to do with being naughty, and don't be getting any idea's, Namagomi. I am just perserving my sanity...but now that I think about it, bringing you along doesn't contribute to that..."

"You're heartless."

"Quit complaining. Let's go, she'll be noticing it's time for our lessons any moment now."

So the young Filia and Xelloss snuck updeck, hiding in shadows. After the plank was placed and several of the men were leaving, Filia and Xelloss went to make their move...when they were intercepted by a looming shadow, which Xelloss collided into.

"Nani?" He looked at the face and moaned. "I didn't do anything!"

Marner looked at the two of them, hiding in the shadows, and snickered. "Um-hum. Nothing, eh?"

Filia blushed when she realized what he was implying. "It's nothing like that! We are just trying to get away from _her_." Almost as if she would be invoked by speaking her name, Filia glanced nervously behind her to see if her sensei appeared.

"Eh....? Oh, her. I understand." He chuckled to himself lightly. He didn't like her much, either. In fact, he hated the woman, but for some reason she always managed to talk him into letting her stay. He almost threw her off the ship once when he saw her slapping Xelloss when she was first teaching him. Apparently he wasn't learning fast enough for her tastes...he solved the abuse problem quickly though, and threatened to take her life if she ever tried it again.

"Go ahead, I'll cover for you."

"Really?!"  
"Really?!" They glared at eachother as they said the same exact thing at the same time once again.

"Sure, you two need a break from that wicked woman anyhow." Marner smiled at them both. "But I don't know if she'll try to find you, she can be weird sometimes. So don't make yourselves obvious, otherwise, no spell-slinging. Got it?"

"Thanks dad! Gotta go!" Xelloss said hurriedly and grabbed Filia and started to run at break neck speed. 

"Xelloss! Why are you running so fast?"

"Before he changes his mind! He just agreed to take on evil-in-carnate by himself! And he's right, she might follow us, so let's get out of here!"

Filia nodded, realizing getting out of the vicinity probably was the best idea. 

*****

Filia and Xelloss walked to the farthest side of town, noticing that, even at night, that the streets were very busy.

"I wonder what is going on?" Filia asked curiously. 

"Hey! Candy apples!" Xelloss wandered off to a vendor that was packed full of sweets.

Filia sighed. "Doesn't matter how old he gets, candy will always be his favorite. Ohhhhhhhh, how pretty!" Filia found someone sitting on a carpet selling all sorts of jewlery. There was a silver braclet, with five pretty blue sapphires set in a row. Admiring them with adoring eyes, she looked at the jewler with hope.

"How much is this?"

The man didn't seem able to talk but he indicated a price tag on the blanket that was laying below the spot that the bracelet was resting. She sighed, noting that it was more than she had with her. "Oh well..." She saw Xelloss walking up to her, happily nibbling away at a carmel apple. He offered her the other he was holding in his other hand. "They're good, you should try it." 

"You spend your money on the most wasteful things..." Filia muttered, but took the gift.

"No, I don't. It all depends on your presective on life."

"Oh?" She raised an eyebrow. "How is that?"

"I'm happy enough with my life to not want or need anything more than a candy apple to be satisfied." He grinned at her, and continued to nibble at the apple. "But the thing that would make me really happy is if sensei would drop off the face of the earth, but it seems no amount of money will do that. Soooooo....I'll stick to my sweets!"

"Humph. The way you hollar all the time and whine to me, you don't seem happy. But I have to agree with the sensei thing."

Xelloss thought about this for a minute, and turned around, looking at the crowd. "I can understand that, but the truth is that you are the person I talk to the most. I guess I'm generally not that talkative to people. I'm an introvert I suppose. I don't know why you make me so mad, I guess you just have a gift." He teased. Then something caught his attention. "Hey, looks like someone has some tea pots down there, Fi-chan, why don't you take a look."

"Really? Don't mind if I do..." She walked away happily. As she walked away, he knelt down to the blanket to look at the bracelet she was looking at. "Well, it IS pretty, I guess, but it would look better if it was...hey, there we are!" He held up a bracelet of the same design, only this one was with amythist stones. "Purple." He finished his sentence. Xelloss laughed to himself, handing the man a bag of money, not bothering wait for change. He knew there was enough to pay for the bracelet in the bag though and that was all that mattered.

Filia was paying special attention to a tea cup with little wild flowers painted on the base and handle when Xelloss walked up. Behind him, in the distance, she noticed something that scared the wits out of her. Like he has done to her so many times, she grabbed his wrist, set the cup down and ran with him in tow through the crowd.

"Fi.i...i...i...i...li....i...i..i.a..a..a..a..!" Xelloss was hardly able to get her name out.

"It's sensei! She was in the crowd!"

WHAM!

Filia, this time, knocked into someone.

"Yes, I was in the crowd. What do you two think you are doing, skipping out on lessons?" A woman, still relativly young looking, stood before them in a menacing way. She wore a light blue cloak, and a while sheer dress beneith. Her eys seemed to lack pigment, and were slanted, accompanied by an angular nose and a small firm mouth. Her hair was white and short, but kept neat in appearance.

Filia couldn't get anything out, and Xelloss just starred at her with a look of total dismay. 

Tarrama looked at Xelloss and smiled at him in a preditory way. "Your dear, so-callled "father" told me that he was giving you the day off, but I am the one who will determine when you get a day off. Today is not that day. Get back to the ship, now." She stuck her nose up in the air and pointed towards the direction of the docks.

Xelloss and Filia looked at eachother an sighed. Filia's eyes watered up. _I thought I would be able to just get away from her...why wont she leave us alone?_

_Fi-chan, don't get so depressed..._ Xelloss thought to her.

_Listening to my thoughts again, namagomi? How do we do this anyways?_

They started walking slowly to the docks, keeping their conversation in their minds.

_I'm not sure. All I know is that I am not going to tell her. She'll try to keep us from doing this._

_Xelloss...._

_Hm?_

_I think I hate her..._

Xelloss giggled quietly outloud, his eyes growing big when he realized his mistake.

"What are YOU laughing about?" Tarrama snapped, grabbing his hair and pulling his head back to make him look at her th hard way.

"Iteee! Let go, that hurts!" _I'm going to kill her!_

"What's funny you insolent little brat?" An evil grin crossed Xelloss' face as he winced with his eyes in pain. "Sore wa himitsu desu." _Xelloss, are you all right?_Filia didn't want to intervine, it would only mean Tarrama being even more rough with him. Filia and Xelloss might be old enough to stand on their own, but Tarrama had worked on building an intense fear of her within them.

_Filia, this really hurts! It's like she is trying to pull the skin off my face by ripping my hair out!_

"Don't give me that cocky attitude!" She snarled, pulling harder. Xelloss yelped and tried to push her away from the akward position he was in.

"Let him go, you're hurting him!" Filia grabbed Tarrama's arm, trying to make her stop. Tarrama looked as if her mind snapped, and she backhanded Filia. Not a good choice on Tarrama's part.

For some reason, Filia was very stong for a girl her size and stature...actually, borderline massivly frighteningly stong for no apparent reason. Match this with a bad temper and...

"Excuse me?" Filia this time clutched her arm with an iron grip and ripped her away from Xelloss. "I said LET GO!' Filia then punched the woman sqaure in the face. Blood poured out form the woman's nose, and her body crumpled to the ground. 

Xelloss thought his eyes were going to fall out. "Ano...Filia-chan, was that nessasary?" He rubbed his head where his hair was being pulled and winced, looking down at Tarrama.

Fila gasped, and knelt down by the woman. She began to cast a healing spell, but Xelloss pulled her away from the crumpled woman. "No, leave her."

"But she's hurt!"

Xelloss grabbed her shoulders and looked at her with a very serious look. "And she is going to hurt you in return, and a lot worst, when she comes to. You know what I think?"

"Nani?"

"We get the hell out of here." He smiled. "Ditch her. I think we have learned plenty, how about you? We know enough to get by, and certainly enough to control ourselves, don't you agree?" She nodded. "So leave her like this?" She pointed to Tarrama.

"Most definitly. In fact, I say kick her while she's down!" He grinned at her.

Filia laughed, and let herself be lead to the boat by Xelloss.

When they arrived, Marner gave them an apologetic look. "Erm, sorry. I tried to stop her. Eh? Where is Tarrama?" Marner examined the space behind Filia and Xelloss noticing that their shadow was not following them. 

Xelloss smiled. "She is not feeling well. I think she has decided to stay here for now. We can leave without her. In fact, let's leave right now." 

"Not feeling well...but..." Marner began.

"Yes, dad, NOT FEELING WELL. We can leave anytime, right now preferrably."

Marner smiled a little, and saw the look on Filia's face. Then he understood. "You clobbered someone again, didn't you girl?"

Her face blushed horribly, and she smiled a little nervously. "Now why ever would you think that?"

Marner chuckled to himself and smlied broadly. _About time those two got away from her._ "Alright, boys, we're leavin'! The crew immediatly began to hustle, getting themselves ready. "You two stay below deck for a while, you both look tired. Besides, it looks like it's going to be rainy." 

"Are you sure you wont need us?" Xelloss asked, knowing that sometimes he needed help on deck. "I mean, I'm the one in the crow's nest most of the time. That other guy you've got can't tell his left arm from his right. Like he'll do any better with clouds and rain."

"And don't you need me to steer if there is a storm?" Filia asked, becoming concerned herself. "Sometimes those waves can be rough, and well...I..." She became steadily embarrised again.

"You're stronger than most of us. Don't be embarrised about it girl. Hell, I'm glad you are as strong as you are, you're too pretty to not be able to defend yourself from the like of him." Marner patted Xelloss on the shoulder jokingly. 

"Hey, now, that's...." Xelloss began, irritated.

"I was just joking boy, don't get defensive. Anyway, go to bed, both of you."


	6. Dreams of a Future Past

**For the Love of Evil**  
Dreams of a Future Past  
By: Kiavie Willowroot

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Filia woke up suddenly, hearing someone screaming in the middle of the night. After her heart slowed down, she hurridly jumped out of bed, not bothering to put something on under her long shirt. "Not again..." She whispered as she walked up to Xelloss's door. She stepped inside without knocking and winced when her suspicions were comfirmed. 

He sat bolt upright, his eyes wide open but glazed over, he was panting like he had been running for a long time. She noticed he didn't even bother to change out of his clothes from earlier that evening. Filia walked up to his bed and sat beside him, wrapping her arms around him and talking into his ear quietly. Marner appeared, like usual, with the same concerned look he always adopted when this happened.

"One of his nightmares again?" He asked tiredly.

"Yeah, he's not awake yet. I'll make sure he doesn't wander around this time."

"Has he started calling out to people yet?"

"Ju-ouu-sama!" Xelloss yelled out, jerking around in Filia's arms. She kept a tight hold though, and kept Xelloss within her embrace.

"Now he has." Filia said in an accusing tone to Marner.

"Sorry, didn't mean to jinx you. I'll go to bed, hollar if you need help with him."

"I think he'll be fine in a while."

Marner nodded and left the room.

About a half an hour later, though several fits, Xelloss finally woke up. He noticed Filia was there, but at the moment he was just too tired to muster the strength for any verbal battles. He leaned his head up against her shoulder and took a deep breath.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah...just wish sleeping didn't make me so tired sometimes...."

"What did you dream about this time?"

"I'm not sure, it's always a jumble. I remember a red-head with a mean temper though, and for some reason she had me in a headlock. And some hyperactive girl singing this horrid "life is wonderful" song over and over and over....AGH! Drove me bonkers! And I was in this fight with some man named Valgarv...it was all so odd. I am a different person when I dream."

"Was I in the dream again?"

He laughed quietly. "Sore wa himitsu desu."

She knocked him across the head lightly. "Baka. Just answer."

"Yeah, no matter in or out of dreams, you call me namagomi."

Filia laughed. "Did I have a tail again?" She joked, remembering what had startled him the last time.

"Yep. Pink ribbon and all."

She tightened her hug, laughing lightly at the thought of her with a tail, and felt something in his pocket. "What's that?"

"Eh?" Filia let go of Xelloss as he reached into his pocket and felt the braclet. "Oh! I forgot this was even in there." He pulled it out, handing it to her.

"It's the braclet I was looking at!" She exclaimed happily, immediatly sliding it on.

"No, it isn't."

"But it looks exactly like the one I was looking at."

Xelloss noticed it was too dark where she was sitting to see the color of the stones. He gently took her elbow and led her to the porthole, where some of the moonlight was spilling in. Xelloss put her wrist under the direct moonlight and smiled. "See?"

"........they're amythist. It's so pretty...."

Xelloss was suddenly quite happy with himself as he watched her examine the braclet with total awe.

"Fi-chan."

"Hm?" She looked up, only to meet his lips to hers. She was so startled she didn't move. After a few seconds, he pulled away and smiled. 

"Thank you."

"Huh......?" Filia was totally dazed. This was something she did not expect. Name calling, yes, arguing, yes, annoying the hell out of her, yes....the bracelet and the kiss did not fit under any of those catagories.

"It just seems that you have done something for me....though to be honest I am not sure what. But thank you." He pulled her to himself again, this time in a hug.

After a long moment, Filia returned the hug and sighed."Thank you for the bracelet." Xelloss kissed the top of her head and placed his cheek where he kissed. I can't say it. He thought to himself, felling akward, but perfectly happy at the same time.

_Say what?_ She thought back at him.

_Oops...forgot that you can hear me at close range. But that's only when you are trying to hear me._

_Or trying to be hear, which is the case. You made that a very loud thought._

He flet himself blush slightly and he swollowed a little. _I...ah...well, I was thinking of calling you a name...and I thought it would be inappropiate right now._

_You're lying._

_Oh, and what makes you think that?_

_You are hugging me tighter like you are nervous about something, and ou sounded nervous when you thought that. You are never nervous about calling me a name or throwing an insult. It's in your nature._

_Hey, that was harsh._

_Lifes rough sometimes. So tell me what you are so nervous to talk about._

_I don't what to._ He let her go suddenly and walked over to his bed and sat down on it hard. _Leave me alone._

_Why?_

"Because!" He snapped outloud. 

"You're getting angry Xelloss."

"So what if I am! Just leave me along, quit trying to pry!" He turned his head away, facing the wall. 

Filia walked up to his bed and sat on in next to him. "Xelloss, why do you always insist on keeping secrets?"

"Sore wa himitsu desu."

Filia made an annoyed sound. "Why do you always say that?"

"Sore wa himitsu desu."

"Arg!" She grabbed his shoulder and turned him to face her. She brought her nose up to his and yelled at the top of her lung, "What is with you?!"

"Sore..." He didn't finish his sentence before Filia's fist came crashing down on his other shoulder. "Ow! Filia!"

"JUST TELL ME YOU LOVE ME AND GET IT OVER WITH!!" She screamed again, even louder than before. Xelloss' mouth dropped open and he stared at her with disbelief. 

"Nani? Are you nuts?"

"Xelloss, tell me the truth, and it will spare you a lot of pain." Filia developed an evil glint in her eyes and she locked him in a stareing contest.

"..............."

Filia sighed. "Fine, let me rephrase that for you. Do you love me, yes or no?"

"..............."

"Why wont you answer me?" Those fangs were popping out again. 

"Becasue you are going to beat me up either way I answer! This is a lose/lose situation!" He blurted out, cringing away from her slightly.

"I promise I wont hurt you if you answer. However, I will hurt you if you don't. Now, do you love me?" She asked patiently.

"....sore wa himitsu desu." Xelloss grinned.

"I'm going to kill you, namagomi!"

"YES! YESYESYESYES!" He backed away from her to the furthest corner of his bed, covering his face with his hands.

Now that she got her answer, she didn't know how to react. _He loves me....? Do I love him....?_

"YOU PUT ME THROUGH ALL THAT AND YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW IF YOU LOVE ME?!" He yelled, reading her thoughts.

"Well....um...that is to say...ah...." Filia fumbled around in her mind, playing with her fngers and sorting out her feelings. Was what she felt for him love? She wasn't sure, she never loved anyone to have any experiance to go off of.

"You have three seconds." He said in a deadly tone.

"To what?" She asked nervously. _I don't like being on the recieving end._

"Tough cookies. You have three seconds to either tell me that you love me, don't love me, or run like hell." 

"Uh...."

"One."

"You wouldn't."

He grinned. "Two."

"You would...." She turned around and bolted out the door.

"Three, Fi-chan!" He jumped off his bed and chased her down the hall that lead to the upper deck. The sun was starting to come up, and Marner had woken up to take the wheel. He watched as Filia bursted out from the lower decks in nothing more that her night shirt, wailing and a frightened look overcomming her face. Xelloss followed close behind her, wearing the pants from a day before, his hair slighlty tangled. 

"You are not going to get away from me! This is a ship, there isn't many places to hide!" He called, stopping to block the entrance to the lower deck so she couldn't go back inside. It was easier to keep track of her here.

"You stay away from me and leave me alone!" She yelled back.

One of the crew mates looked at the two of them and laughed. "Another lover's spat?"

Filia turned red and glared at him. "Shut up!" Filia walked to the edge and looked like she was ready to jump.

Xelloss placed a hand on his hip and gave her a sly look. "Don't even think about ray-winging out of here."

"Oh, and why not?" 

Marner yelled out. "We aren't close enough to any shore for that!" 

"You are NOT helping!" She shouted.

"Besides that...everyone will be able to see your underwear up that little shirt of yours." He purred.

"Eep!" Filia used her hands to cover her underwear as if it were showing through the shirt. "Henti!"

Xelloss rolled his eyes. "There is a simple way out of this you know, Fi-chan."

"Oh? How?"

"Simply answer my question: yes or no."

"............."

By now the entire crew was watching them with interest. These two were always good from some amusement.

"If you don't answer my question, Fi-chan, I will do something drastic."

"Humph. Like I am afraid of you and your pathetic pranks."

Xelloss was starting to worry. He just confessed to her about his feelings, and he was beginning to wonder if they were returned at all. "Fine, then you wont mind waking up with short hair in the morning."

"You wouldn't!"

He raised his eyebrow.

"You would...." She was still red all over from the underwear thing, now she turned a darker shade. "....yes." 

He felt like jumping all over the place, but kept his joy restrained to a smile. "Now, was that so hard?" _ I have to rub it in just a little_

"I HATE you!"

"Now don't go contridicting yourself, Fi-chan."

Marner watched all this with absolutley no understanding until the last two statements. "Oh, he was trying to get her to admit she loved him." He looked at his first mate, who smiled crookedly in rsponse and shrugged his shoulders. 

"We all saw it comming years ago. I personally will never understand those two."

"Neither will I."

The argument continued.

"Admit it! You think I'm cute!" Xelloss yelled, pointing at her. He planned on making her suffer in front of everyone for what she put him through.

"YOU admit that you think I'M cute!" She yelled and pointed back. They stood there, glareing eachother accusingly.

"You're a brat, that's for sure!"

"And you are an arrogant son-of-a...."

Marner sighed and decided now would be a good time to interrupt the show. "Oi! Don't you two think you've made big enough fools of yourselves?"

Xelloss turned and looked up at Marner, flashing a triumphant grin. "Yes, I believe we have." He turned and headed back for his bedroom, Filia not far behind, running for all her life to hide from the world in general.

"Now that they admit they like eachother, what are we going to tease them about now?" The first mate asked lightly, smiling as he looked out to the ocean.

"About when they are going to get married!" He laughed in response.

[Go Back][1] [Next Chapter!][2]

   [1]: http://www.tbns.net/xelloss/evil
   [2]: http://www.tbns.net/xelloss/fanfiction/evil/tsunami



	7. Tidal Wave?

**For the Love of Evil**  
Tidal Wave?  
By: Kiavie Willowroot

_Seven years ago, same place_

Xelloss sat in his room on a stool, hovering over a canvas, his fingers covered in paint, holding the brush dextrously. He dipped the tip in the red paint again and added a few more strokes to the picture. "Hmmmm...." He thought as he examined the work so far.

"Xelloss?" Filia stepped inside, and noticed his room was an "artistic mess" once again. Instuments, music, paint, canvas', and what-not were all over the place. The painting became an obsession of his a few months ago as he realized that he could paint the images of his dreams, and Filia noted that it gave him some sort of relief to do this. Besides, he was a pretty good painter, especially when you take into concideration how long ago he started. She walked up behind him and wrapped his arms around his neck. "Is this the red-head you are always talking about?" The painting was of a woman with fire red hair and matching color eyes. She was cute, smiling and making a victory sign with her hand. 

"Mmm-hmm. There is the other paintings I've done from the images in my dreams." He pointed to a pile in the corner of the room, where at least fifteen paintings were piled high.

She hugged him more tightly and kissed him on the cheek. "Been busy?"

"That's an understatment. I can't stop myself. Here, let me show you some of them." She let got of him as Xelloss stood up and picked up the one on top. It was a picture of a blonde man with blue eyes and a honest face. "This guy always has this sword that looks like a blaze of light." He set it down and picked up the next one.

It was another young woman, with black hair and a darker shade of blue eyes than the previous painting had. "This is the one that was singing that horrible life is wonderful song...."

"She's cute, though."

"I don't care how cute she is, that song just gets under my skin for some reason." He set it down and picked up the next.

A young man with blue, stony skin, a solmn face and purple wiry hair. "Now there is an unusual character...he looks so depressed."

He set that one down and picked up another. This one has greenish hair that had two huge spirals down the sides of her face. "This one is hanging all over me for some reason." Xelloss scratched his head in a confused action, and Filia just snorted to show just how interested she was in that fact. The next painting. 

"This is that guy Valgarv I was talking about. The one who I am always fighting for some reason."

".....He has a horn..."

"Yep."

"..........BWAHAHAHAHAHA!" Filia busted up, looking at the picture.

Xelloss shook his head at her. She suddenly calmed down though as she looked at it. "There is something about that picture...I don't know..."

"What, like him?" Xelloss teased.

"No! Oh, just get on with the next one."

He smiled and set that picture down, picking up another. This one was of a blonde, absolutley gorgeous woman with animalistic characteristics about her, hoding a gold goblet in her delicate hand. She was draped over a throne with animal furs, a white, slinky dress barely covering her, and gold bracelets decorating both wrists and ankles. "Wow..." Filia sighed. "You spent a lot of time on this one. She so beautiful...yet so scary. Who is she."

Xelloss didn't answer her.

"What? Is she your lover in you dreams or something?" Filia asked, trying hard to not sound angry, opting to use a teasing tone to cover up.

"No...not lovers. More like..."

"What? A lady friend?"

"More than a friend...she's more like..." Xelloss hesitated.

Filia decided to wait and see if he would answer on his own. He did.

"...My mother." He finished, looking up at her with an embarrised grin. "She reminds me of something like a mother for some reason."

He set that painting down gently, and picked up the next, his smile fading as he picked it up. "Who's that?" Filia asked. It was a woman with blue hair, a young face, and a sinister grin.

"I don't know, but every time I see this painting I want to punch a hole through it." He set it down roughly and picked up a smaller painting of an object. "What is that? A staff of sorts?"

"Hai. I...keep think about this staff. It is one of the things I think about the most from my dreams. For some reason I feel that it is very important to me. Get's me as to why it is though." He set that painting down and turned to face her, smiling broadly. "So, you ready for day after tomorrow?"

She smiled and blushed lightly. "As ready as I'll ever be...."

"Don't you start acting like you are going to get cold feet!"

"Don't worry." She shifted her position so she was leaning her head against his shoulder. He hugged her in response and laughed a little. 

"What?" Filia asked.

"Hm?"

"What's funny?"

"Who thought I would marry a loud mouthed spoiled brat like yourself." He grinned.

"Namagomi!" Filia made a fist an whacked him across the head. "Stupid boy, don't know the first thing about being romantic." She crossed her arms across her chest and looked away.

"I can't help it if your a brat!" Xelloss teased.

"I can't help it if you are a baka!" She yelled at the top of her lungs. Filia made an incoherent noise and stopmed away out of his room.

Xelloss sighed as he watched her leave with so much anger inside her. He did not understand himself sometimes, why did he always provoke her into these flare ups. Something inside of him drove him to do it. He always felt a little satisfied with himself when he got the upperhand too, even though he knew he shouldn't even be starting these, let alone enjoying then to an extent.

"Oh well. Time will let her cool off, and then I will go see if she is in a sociable mood again."

*****

Xelloss looked at Filia. She was very pretty, he observed. In fact, she was beautiful in that dress. The priest responded to Filia like most people did, with a warm smile. She always managed to get people to like her almost instantaneously. _She is very nervous..._ He thought to himself. Then he thought of his current situation. _I'M very nervous! What am I doing here? How can I be getting married? Maybe I'm too young...what am I thinking? Am I crazy? I love Filia...besides, if I left her here she could KILL me. I mean, it would be an all out bloodbath. But maybe we moved this too quick, maybe I should...wait? Did the priest just say something too me? Oh, crap, he looks like he is waiting for me to say something...uh-oh._ The priest just stared at him in return as Xelloss searched his mind seeing if he could remember what he said. _Oh jeeze, I am going to get absolute hell for this later..._"Um, gomen, could you repeat that?" Filia stared at him, but didn't seem to be mad. In fact, she smiled softly at him and looked down at her feet in almost a demure way...almost. He would have fallen for it if it was anyone by Filia.

"I do...?" Xelloss pretty much asked, wondering if that was what he was supposed to say. _Ack! This whole thing is so confusing to me. Why can't they just say something like "Do you two love eachother?" And either the couple say yes or no, and depending on the answer they will become man and wife or not. This whole fiasco is annoying. There are too many people paying attention to me...._ Xelloss glanced to his side to look at the onlookers themselves...rows and rows of them. All friends of his father. Meaning about 90% of them were seamen. 

Apparently it was the right answer. The priest declaired them man and wife and Xelloss gladly kissed his new bride. _Finally..._ he thought to himself. _Now how much longer is it going to take for us to get out of here?_

Time went by, and long after the reception and toasts which seemed to drag unbearable long for Xelloss, the new couple where finally released from their social obligation to "mingle" and tell everyone how "happy" they were. Xelloss was happy, he was just miserable with having to put up with so many people. Xelloss never felt so relieved to see a carriage when they neared it for their departure. 

"Xelloss, Filia wait!" Xelloss was beginning to recognize that voice all too well, an overly affectionate woman by the name of Hilda that was a close friend of his fathers. Marner termed her to be like "his sister". Xelloss perferred to term her something less flattering, and was pretty sure he was going to blast her into th next town if she gathered him up in another one of her suffocating hugs. 

"LET'S GO!" He yelled quickly, seeing the large womans rapid approach. He grabbed Filia by the waist with both arms. "Rey wing!" He took off as fast as he could.

"Little eager to get out of there?"

"I was going to kill her if she touched me again!"

Filia laughed and nodded in agreement.

*****

_About six months later, in a town called Allegrian of a continent west to the land where Lina and co. come from...^.^_

Filia paced around nervously in her room, walking back and forth in the same spot so much she was certain that she was rubbing a groove into the wood floors. Stopping for a moment, she laided her hand on the wall nearest to her and sighed, thinking to herself. She was wearing a light pink soft looking sun dress that was comfortable in the heat. _What do I say? What will he do? What can I do...._

Turning her back to the wall, she leaned against it and played with her hair absently. Filia and Xelloss moved into their own house in a seaside city called Allegian shortly after they were married. They both felt they needed to try to get by on their own. Thankfully, this was a city known for it's love of art, and Xelloss and Filia were both gifted in that region. Whether it was selling Xelloss paintings, Filia's pottery, Xelloss composing music, herself singing for Taverns, sometimes with Xelloss playing the music himself. They got along very well in this large popular city. They kept their house small though, much to the protests of Xelloss. He wasnted something large, extensive, roomy. Filia liked the little two bedroom house though, it was comfortable and easy to take care of.

"What am I going to do....?" She whispered to herself quietly.

Suddenly, something along the lines of _boom boom boom CRASH slam stomp stomp stomp_ rand through the house. Definatley not Xelloss, he was always so quiet that he scared her out of her skin half the time when he came in. Only one person came in like THAT...

"Dad....? Urk!" Suddenly she was gathered into Marners arms and squeezed very tightly. She had grown accustomed to calling him Dad without feeling akward about it after Xelloss and herself were married. In fact, he insisted it. 

"How are ya, m' girl? Where is that good for nothin' boy of mine?" He asked as he set her down. He had not seen then since about a month after the wedding...Xelloss thought he was suffering from empty nest syndrom.

"Um..he's out in the market, selling some paintings." 

"Oh is he? I still think you two were better cut out for the sea than all this artsy stuff." Marner huffed, crossing his arms over his moderatly sized chst and pounting _ever_ so slightly.

Filia laughed and hugged him. "We miss you too."

Marner studied her face for moment, and pushed her away gently and frowned. "What's wrong, girl? Somethin' is bothering you."

_Am I that obvious....?_ "No, I'm fine. Don't fret. I'm just thinking a bit..." Filia flushed slighly under his studying gaze and bit her bottom lip lighty. 

After a moment, Marner's face lit up and he grinned. "You're going to have a baby, aren't you!"

Filia facefaulted. After gathering herself up again, she looked at him accusingly. "How do you know that?"

"I'm going to be a grandpa!" He laughed, hugging her for the third time. It was very bad timing for him to declair that though.

Xelloss stood in the doorway, in his usual outfit of black pants and a white shirt. He kinda stared off past the two of them and shook his head as if he was dizzy. "What was that?" He looked at Filia hard. "'Grandpa?' What is he talking about?"

Filia sat him down and explained things to him. 

*****

_Eight months later, in the same house, Filia had her baby. The only people there were Xelloss, the midwife and Marner. _

Filia was exhausted. She had never been so physically tried in her life. The whole ordeal was...exhillirating though. It filled her with a sense of pride and love that she never expriance before.

Xelloss sat beside her, holding the baby, a look of absolute curiosity filling his face. _He has no idea what to do...or what to think..._ Xelloss had been akward about the whole situation, but took it in stride. The baby was awake, not moving much, just looking at Xelloss with dark blue eyes.

"So...what's the name?" Marner asked quietly, looking down at her with the almost mirror image of Xelloss', total curiosity. Filia smiled to herself. _They are both so intrigued by this..._

"We wanted to name her something related to the ocean..."

"That's why we asked you for suggestions." Xelloss finished, looking at Marner.

Marner got an embarrised flush to his face and scratched the back of his head. "Well, uh, there are plenty of things related to the sea. Le 'me see...ones that are suitable for a name. Pearl, Shell, Auqa, Ocean, Blue, Coral, Siren, Mermaid, Tsunami..."

"I like that one." Filia said.

"Which one?" Xelloss quirked an eye brow.

"Tsunami."

"You...want to name our child after a natual disaster?" Xelloss' mouth twitched in an amused manner.

"I didn't mean it like that! Maybe we shouldn't.." Xelloss shook his head at her and smiled.

"No, I think it is perfect. Any child of mine is bound to be a walking natural disaster." He joked lightly.

[Go Back][1] [Next Chapter!][2]

   [1]: http://www.tbns.net/xelloss/evil
   [2]: http://www.tbns.net/xelloss/fanfiction/evil/children



	8. Children Are Best Seen and Not Heard

**For the Love of Evil**  
Children Are Best Seen and Not Heard  
By: Kiavie Willowroot

_A month after Xelloss' and Filia's dissapearance..._

_"Mama...where are you?"_

Familiar laughter echoed in the distance, lightly playing on the young girl's ears. Her mothers laugher..._She sounds so happy..._ Tsunami smiled to herself as she continued to look for her mom. There was a field of wildflowers before her, the wind was blowing slighly, making the petals sway lightly. The sun was so bright...so very bright...

Another laughter joined the first, and she recognized that one too. "Papa! Where are you? I want to talk to you! I haven't been able to talk to you in so long..." Tsunami was getting frustraited. After climbing a small hill, she saw them, way off to the distance. They stood together, dancing and laughing, smiling like there were no worries in the world.

"Mama, Papa!" Tsunami suddenly remembered this scene...it has played in her head hundreds of times before. "No! Mama, Papa! Get away from there!" She started to run, but knew well ahead of time it was in vain.

The sky grew suddenly dark, and the sun blacked out. The hue of the entire vicinity turned a dark blue as a woman with sliver hair entered the scene. Tsunami squinted her eyes closed and covered her ears, not wanting to see or hear it again.

But that was always futile too. The image of her mother and father being slaughtered still wormed it's way into her mind and the screams still peirced her ears. "No no no noooooooooooo." She moaned, wanting it to go away. The imaged stopped, the screaming ceased, and the light turned a light blue color.

"Do you want to keep this from happening?" A woman's voice asked softly.

"Yes..."

"Then you stay silent, and it will only happen in your dreams."

"When will it leave my dreams?"

"Just be thankful it is not reality, child, because if you tell your parents about me, it will happen."

"I haven't talked to anyone for so long...I want to talk."

"No, you must keep your silence. Besides, children are best seen and not heard."

*****

"Arrrg! Where are those two?! We have been searching all over the damn place!" Lina yelled, her irritation getting the better of her once again. She slammed her fists against the table they were sitting at. 

"Have you considered the possibility that they might be dead?" Zelgadis muttered over his coffee.

"WHAT? Those two? They would survive anything short of the end of the world. I don't think they are dead." Lina said with finality, looking down at the table. "AND WHERE IS MY FOOD?" On of the waiters "eep"ed and scooted away, saying something about it comming right up. 

"I don't think so either." Amelia added, looking like she was within deep thought. In the few years that had followed after the battle with Dark Star, Amelia had grown a bit on the outside and inside. Though she still had a passion for justice, she was not as blind as she was when she first traveled with Lina. She had also grown quite taller too, letting her hair grow out long enough to put into a ponytail. "It's like the feeling with my sister." She patted her chest around where her heart was. "I just know they are alive."

Gourry looked at them and actually said something intuitive. "Well, Xelloss said he was pretty sure that his master wasn't dead, what's-her-name? Well, if the same people took him, they probably didn't kill him either."

Lina's eyes widened and she grinned at him. "Good thinkin' Gourry!" 

A unexpected voice suddenly cut through the inn. "Gourry-sama?" 

Gourry turned around to see a woman with long dark blue hair standing st the door way with wide eyes. "Shyphiel? What are you doing here?" 

Shyphiel ran across the room and gave him a quick hug and smiled. "I'm studying some more white magic in this city. They are known for a unique ability to calm a persons mind and seek into their thoughts. I thought it would be nice to research. Lina-san!" Shyphiel stepped over to where Lina was sitting and gace her a hug also. "I heard all about that Dark Star incident. Everyone is indebted to you guys."

"How did you hear about that, Shyphiel-san?" Amelia asked, surprised.

"In my journey to this city, I ate with a man. Or at least I though it was a man at first, until I mentioned you four in a conversation. He turned out to be a gold dragon, named Siru. He mantioned that he knew about you also, telling me about your adventure. He came with me this whole way, and we bacame rather good friends...except he's gone now. I have no idea where he went. Back home, I suppose." Shyphiel shrugged.

Everyone at the table exchanged glances, and Zelgadis decided to talk. "I doubt that. We are looking for our friend Filia, who is also a gold dragon, and Xelloss, though why we are looking for him still escapes me why." He glared at Lina.

Lina waved him off and continued. "Yeah, apparently the mazoku and dragons are dissapearing. Those two were taken by some odd balls of light."

"Oh, that's terrible!" Shyphiel exclaimed, her gentle nature always shinning. "Even if Xelloss-san is a mazoku." Shyphiel thought to herself for a moment and leaned toward Lina. "Can I ask you a favor, Lina-san?"

"Hmm? what?" Lina asked, wondering what the shy priestess wanted. 

"Can I go with you?"

"Eh? You came to that decision awfully fast, Shyphiel-san!" Amelia rose her eyebrows in surprise. 

"I want...to find my friend...Siru that is. If he really is in trouble, I want to help him."

"Yeah, sure Shyphiel." Gourry answered for Lina, smiling at her. "Well help you find your friend."

"Arrigato Gourry-sama!" Shyphiel threw her arms around him again and laughed happily. 

"Oi, Lina, where are we going next?" Zelgadis asked suddenly, still sipping from his mug.

"Well, we haven't explored much of the new world yet. But I talked to a captain of a ship called the "Sea Blossom", a really nice guy. He said he would take us to a town called Allegura. He's got family there, I guess. But he offered to take us on a discounted price. And h says that the town we are headed for is getting ready for a huge festival, and that we should get there in time. Festivals equal food." She thought for a moment and an angry look came to her face.

"WHERE IS MY FOOD!??!"

*****

Dolphin sat in her wave throne, looking into the bubble of water before her with mild amusment. "I would never have guessed for the two of them to have a child together. This is working much better that I had origionally planned. With this child, things will go along much more to my satisfaction. So amusing, they named her Tsunami. Coral, how are the dreams proceeding?" 

The woman known to Xelloss and Filia as Tarrama stepped out from the shadows and knelt before Dolphin with her head bowed. "They are proceeding without hindrence. She has not spoken a word in the waking world for two years now. I doubt that if she even tried to speak that her voice is even there anymore." A cruel smile swept across her cold features as she continued. "Since the silence is self inflicted and not through magic, Filia and Xelloss do not suspect an outside force. They think their daughter is mute. I think within a year she will be within our ranks. The corruption has to be a slow delicate process because Xelloss is sensitive to negative forces, even as a human. If he senses a sudden inbalance within Tsunami, he will investigate. But she should be ready for you-know-who in due time."

Dolphin nodded at her follower. Coral had become her new priestess, her last one, along with the general, deposed of after a failed mission. Coral was doing well, but she had designs for a new priestess...but only time will bring that, so she needed to be patient. 

One of her spy's walked out of a shadow and kneeled before her master. "Mistress, there is a complication."

"Continue."

"It seems that Lina and her allies are headed towards Allerura by ship."

"This is not acceptable. However, no harm can come to the Inverse girl. She is favored by L-sama for whatever reason, and seems to have her luck when encountering Mazoku lords. I think I'll pass in confronting her...take the orbs with you and disable them. That's all that should be required."

"When shall I do this?"

"Not on the ship...wait until they are ashore. And wait for them to be all together. If we miss one, it might be our downfall, all of them are to be reconed with."

"Oh, and it's time to chase the rabbits out of their holes anyways."

*****

"Xelloss, where is the potatos? We got to get this stew going!" Filia marched around the kitchen of the inn the two of them had invested in a couple years back. She wore a little yellow apron and her hair pulled back in a loose ponytail. 

"Right here!" Xelloss was in front of a huge pot doing _something_ but she was not sure what. "Get away from there namagomi! Anything you cook is hazardous!" She snapped the jar he was holding over the pot out of his hands and starred at the lable. "You were going to put _cinnamon_ in stew? Baka. Go manage the place like you are supposed to, mix your drinks for customers, and stay out of my kitchen!" 

He pouted a little. "But Fi-chan..." 

"Don't Fi-chan me! You! Door! Out! Now!" She pointed to the door that lead to the dining room. 

"Fine, it's more fun out there anyways. Besides, the waitress' wear lower cut blouses than you do." He teased, winking at her and darting out before she could throw a pot at him. As he stepped out, he noticed Tsunami sitting on the steps that lead to the rooms on the upper floor. She had purple hair, but a lighter shade that Xelloss', cut to her shoulders with a yellow headband and bangs. Her face resembled her mother's with the exception that her eyes looked like his, only bigger and more feminine, and the fact that they were dark blue. She wore a little peachy-pink summer dress with a yellow ribbon tied around her waist and yellow sandles.

He sighed to himself, and walked up to her, sitting down next to Tsunami. "Ne, Tsu-chan. Are you feeling ok?"

She nodded solemly not smiling or offering anything to say. She looked at her feet and wiggled her toes. 

Xelloss felt suddenly depressed as he looked at her. "I wish you would talk to me again. I want to know what's wrong...you don't even write things down. It's like you don't want to talk to me."

She continued to stare at her toes, if not more intently. She dropped her head lower so that her bangs covered her eyes, and shook her head lightly.

He didn't like feeling helpless, but he did when it came to this. He tried everything, it seemed, to attempt to get is daughter to speak to him again. "Tsu-chan, do you want to help me for a while taking care of the inn?"

She nodded and looked at him, her eyebrows raised. _Good_ he thought. _That's as close to a smile as I ever get._

"Oi! Xelloss-san!"

A man of medium stature and light blone hair approached him. "Are you going to be out in the market tomorrow? It is the Spring Fesitval, you should sell some of your stuff."

"Oh, I plan on it. Tsu-chan and I will be right in the middle of it all. Is your daughter Sabrina doing anything tomorrow, Tarramond?" Xelloss asked, smiling.

"You take your wife to the fesitval, not my daugher!" The man laughed. 

"No no, though your daugher is beautiful, I plan on taking my wife. In fact, that is why I asked. I was wondering if she would be willing to watch Tsu-chan if she doesn't have plans."

"I'll ask her. I don't think she does. But I am sure she is more than willing."

*****

"Lina-san I can see it!" Amelia was practically hanging off the side of the ship, shading her eyes against the light and leaning out to get a better look at the ship. The sun was setting in the horizon before her, but what she could make out, "It's beautiful, Lina-san!" 

Gourry was looking with Amelia and nodded his agreement. "Yeah, looks like it's one heck of a celebration too, I can see ballons."

"Just as long as they have coffee." Zelgadis looked out to the town. He had become paranoid about towns not having caffinated drinks after walking into one that had none at all. It was against the law, but so was being out after the sun set. It looked like these people were ready to party all hours of the night. 

Marner walked up with Shyphiel and smiled at them all. "Ye look anxious. Before you get yourselves excited, though, I need to warn you of something."

Lina raised her eyebrow. "Oh, and what's that?"

Shiphiel answered for him. "Captian Marner was just telling me about a curse on the city."

"A curse? On an entire city?" Amelia asked. "That's horrible."

Shyphiel smiled softly, walking to the edge of the deck to take a look at the town herself. "It's not that bad, but it does effect us. We can't use any magic."

"What?" Zelgadis snapped his head up, immediately worried. "Wards?"

"No, like I said, a curse. Magic has...lets call it waves. Besides the effect of the spell itself, it's force also ripples out. Using magic would be like earthquakes to this city. A dragonslave would rip the island apart."

Lina thought for a second, rubbing her hands together and looking down at the slightly moist wooden deck. "Well, does this apply to all magic, or just black?"

"All magic, Lina-san. I'm sure we will be fine though without our magic for a day or two." Shyphiel smiled even more broadly. "You'll be too busy eating to care anyways."

Lina glared at the shy priestess. "Are you implying something?"

"Not at all."

Marner took a few steps towards Amelia and smiled down at the shorter princess. "I think ye will like this city. It is well known for it's art. My son sells paintings and his wife'3s pottery during the day and runs a tavern and inn at night."

"Really? I would love to see his paintings, though I don't say I approve of him selling alcohol."

Marner laughed. "Ye have all the qualities of a salior...except that."

Amelia blushed, knowing this was a compliment. "Thank you. How long do you suppose until we dock?" 

"Half hour."

"Great!"

*****

"Filia, are you ready yet? You take too damn long!" Xelloss was standing by the doorway, wearing a dark red silk shirt and his traditional black pants.

Filia poked around the corner and shot him "a _look_" as he liked to call it. He looked at Sabrina, who was sitting on the couch, her hands folded politly on her lap. She had short red hair, cut very much like Xelloss'. Her eyes were a light shade of blue and her face was angular, but she was attractive. She smiled at Xelloss. 

"Don't worry, Xelloss-san. I'll take good care of Tsu-chan, as always."

Xelloss nodded at the young girl and smiled back. "I know you will." He took a deep breath and let out a "COME ON!" Sabrina giggled lightly.

"Do you want me to hurt you that bad?" Filia yelled from her room.

"As long as it will get you out here!"

A few frustraited noises excaped her room before she did. Her hair was left down, her blonde hair slightly wavy. She wore a white dress that stopped just below her knees with a ruffle. It was a no sleeve dress made of silk, just like his shirt. 

"You look lovely. Can we go now?" He pleaded.

Filia stuck her nose up in the air and folded her arms across her chest. "At least sound sincere when you give a compliment, baka."

Xelloss put his hands to his chest right over his head and gave the cheesiest smile he could manage. "Oh, mi'lady, the sun itself would weep if it saw how beautiful you are, but it's a shame, for the sun can't see you 'cause you took to damn long!" He grinned, darting out the door like always before she could clobber him with something.

*****

It was crowded. There was festive music everywhere, streamers hanging from buildings in vibrant colors, lively people mingling, dancing, talking, laughing, eating...

"FOOD!" Lina and Gourry said in unison, running to a huge table full of fruit, vegitables and meat cooked in a variety of ways. 

Zelgadis sighed and smiled at Amelia slightly. "Well, we wont hear from them for another three hours or so." He looked around and spotted a table that was unoccupied. "Want to sit for a while, Amelia?"

Amelia blushed a little at his question and nodded. "Of course. Shyphiel-san, Marner-san...?" 

"Shyphiel went to the library, because it is still open for the fesival, and Marner said something about finding his son." Zelgadis pulled out both chairs for them and sat down. 

Only a short distance away from the food and the tables was a dance floor where some of the locals and visiting peoples indulged themselves as the music played well paced tunes suited for lively dancing. And beyond that was another set of tables, where Xelloss and Filia sat.

"Come on!" Filia pleaded.

"No!"

"Please!"

"No!"

"But I really want to!"

"No, no and wait a minute....NO!"

Filia glared at him. Her glare then turned into a pout as she stared at him with the biggest eyes she could manage. 

"No, not the look...put that face away..."

Lip stuck out a little further, eyes somehow got just a smidgen larger.

"Filia, I really don't think dancing is a good idea for me."

"You just hate any attention to yourself. No one will be staring at you, we will just be two people enjoying themselves. Please?"

".............alright. But we stop when I say, alright?"

"Deal." She waited for him to stand and offer his hand politely. They walked out and started off with simple moves that most of the locals knew.

Amelia turned away from Lina and Gourry who where still indulging themselves in their favorite thing and observed the activity around her. "Everyone here is so happy." She sighed, smiling sofly and resting her chin in her palm. She stared at the dancers and their smiling faces.

"Zelgadis-san..." Amelia began, almost gathering the nerve to ask him if he wanted to dance. _No, he wouldn't. He doesn't like to make himself obvious in anyway..._

"Hmm? What is it?" He looked at her from under his hood, sipping some tea he had managed to get ahold of. 

"Oh, nothing."

She continued to be entranced with the dancers and their twirling. They all moved with the music, dancing with their partners. Amelia binked when she saw a man in a red shirt and purple hair. "Eh?!" She raised her head quickly from her palm and tried to catch another glimpse of him, but he had dissapeared behind some other couples.

"What is it, Amelia? Is something wrong?" Zelgadis sat a little straighter, alarmed by the princess' facial expression.

"I just though..but it couldn't be......" She knitted her eyebrows together and tried to recall the face she saw for a brief second.

"Well?" Zelgadis asked, a little annoyance slipping into his voice.

"I thought I saw Xelloss-san, but there is no way." She shook her head. "I must be wrong. I am awful tired." 

Zelgadis watched the dancers for a while. "You must be. I don't see him. Whoa, wait!" He caught a glimpse of a woman in a white dress. "That looked like Filia!" He got up and started towards the dancers, Amelia following just behind him. "Did you see that?"

Amelia nodded. "That did look like Filia!"

Zelgadis was about to push his way through when a man stopped him. "You can't just walk in here buddy, you have to dance."

"Excuse me? This is rather important." Zelgadis snapped irratibly. 

Amelia grinned a little and grabbed his hand. "That is what we were intending." She dashed out into the dancefloor, pulling him with her, and starting a very simple move she was sure he would be able to follow.

Zelgadis starred at her in disbelief for a second before he followed her steps. "Are you nuts?"

"Hey, we got to get a closer look, don't we? We don't have time to argue." She smiled and looked into the dancing crowed around her. She caught another glimpse of Xelloss. "Ok, I am positive that is Xelloss, or a man that bares the most striking resemblance to him."

"I doubt there is such a person. Which way?" Zelgadis asked, loosing the shock as he became interested in finding Xelloss and Filia. 

Amelia looked in the direction she saw him and jutted out her chin. "Twirl me that way. one, two, three, four!" Zelgadis did as he was told and they broke through several couples. 

Then they spotted the couple dancing together. Zelgadis tripped and Amelia's mouth hung open. "We aren't really seeing this, are we?" She asked, picking up her steps again.

"I...don't know." He was caught far too off guard. What they saw next was worst.

Xelloss twirled Filia under him arm and pulled her to him for a kiss.

Zelgadis and Amelia tripped, ending with him toppled on her. Amelia turned the deepest shade of red a human face could manage. 

A huge rumbing began to shake the earth just then. Gradually building in magnitude. 

Someone in the crowd screamed. "Someone is using magic!" And on cue huge explosions rang throughout the city. Everyone broke out into a run. Zelgaids and Amelia got up, and Zelgadis ran as fast as he could, but failed to notice that some of the locals just toppled the princess over again on the ground. 

Xelloss and Filia ran up to her. Filia bent down and looked at the princess. "Are you alright, miss? We have to get out of here!" 

Xelloss was looking over at some hills over a couple of the city buildings, and his mouth fell open. "Filia, the house is on fire!" He reached down and grabbed Amelia with one hand and Filia with the other. "We have to hurry!" Xelloss was about ready to cast a Rei Wing when Filia jerked his arm hard. 

"No, casting magic will make things worst!" 

"But Tsu-chan and Sabrina are in there!"

"Would you rather they die in an earthquake?"

"Xelloss? Filia?" Amelia finally managed to get out.

Filia turned to look at Amelia. "Miss, you have to get out of here!" 

Xelloss let go of Amelia and ran with Filia out toward the house. Amelia followed close behind. _What is going on?___

"AMELIA?!" She heard people calling out to her, and saw Lina, Gourry, and Zelgadis running toward her.

"Zelgadis said you found Xelloss and Filia! Where are they?" Lina and the other two weeded through the running people as the ground shook.

"Something is wrong! They said something about a house burning over there and ran that way!" She pointed in the direction she saw them running toward. Gourry turned and ran in that direction. Lina almost cast Rei Wing until Amelia stopped her. "No, remember the curse?"

Lina sighed and ran with Amelia and Zelgadis running close behind her. Once the broke throught the heavily domestic area, and into a more rural region, they spotted the house Amelia was talking about, and two figures standing infront of it.

"It's them, Lina-san!" Amelia cried, running out of breath from running so hard, trying to keep her balance with the shaking ground and the smoke.

Lina ran up to Xelloss and pulled on the collar of his shirt. "Where the hell have you been, you jerk?!"

Xelloss starred at her for a moment and pushed her to the ground. "Get out of my face! My house is burning down if you don't mind!" 

A young soot covered girl managed to get out of the house through the door, and collapsed a few yards away from the flames. 

"Sabrina!" Filia cried out and ran to the girl, holding her in her arms and shaking her slightly so her eyes would open. "Where is Tsunami?"

"*cough*still *cough* in the house. I think she *cough* is in her *cough* room." She closed hre eyes again and gave into a coughing fit.

Filia looked at Xelloss with terror. "Xelloss, she's still in there!"

He looked at the open door and ran into the house. 

Lina got up and grew fangs. "What the hell did you do that for!"

Filia looked at Lina and stared for a moment. "Do I...know you?"

Lina blinked a few times and cocked her head to the side. Zelgadis stepped out to stand beside Lina.

"You don't remember us?"

"I fell like I know you..." Filia thought for a moment, "but I am sure I haven't met any of you before."

Lina looked at the others. "Amnesia?"

"It would appear so." Zelgadis scratched his chin and looked at the burning house. "And what is with Xelloss diving into the burning house?"

Xelloss came out of the doorway with a little girl in his arms.

Zelgadis growled low in his throat. "What is he doing with that child?"

Lina look a definsive stance with him. "I don't know, but we have to be carful. We can't let him hurt her."

Amelia and Gourry stood beside them, also taking caution. Filia set Sabrina down and ran to Xelloss.

"What is she doing? She is going to get that girl killed if she clobbers him at a time like this!" Lina exclaimed as she saw the blonde run to Xelloss.

He set the girl on the gound and both of them started frantically shaking her, patting her cheek, checking her eyes and her breathing.

"Nani?" Lina whispered.

"She isn't breathing!" Filia wailed, positioning herself beside her and rythmicly pushing on the girl's chest. Xelloss looked at the girl with obvious worry, holdong onto her hand. 

He looked at Filia and shook his head. "Cast a healing spell."

"But the town..."

"Look at it Filia! The whole place is practically ash anyways. This is our daughter, would you rather save her or a city that is already rubble?"

Filia nodded her head and began the spell. 

"Daughter...Lina I'm confused." Gourry scratched his head. "I thought they hated eachother. How could they have a kid?"

"For once, Gourry, I think I am more confused than you." The redheaded sorceress folded her arm over her bosom and looked at Zelgadis. "Do you have any ideas?"

Zelgadis shook his head. "No...but Amelia and I did see them kiss earlier."

"This is getting wierd." Amelia looked at the little girl with the light pruple hair on the gound and clasped hre hands together in worry. "I hope she will be alright though."

Tsunami's eyes opened suddenly and she coughed fiercly for a long moment. She looked up at Xelloss and Filia with wide dark blue eyes and burst into tears as both of them hugged her. 

Marner came running up the hill just then, dashing past the group and to the family clustered before the house. "What the hell happened, boy? Is me girl all right?" Marner looked at Tsunami and reached down to hug her also. 

Xelloss scratched his head and smiled a little at Marner. "Hey dad. You think we could bunk with you for a while?" Marner nodded and looked at the house, and the tavern the family owned. "Yare yare...I'm sorry. That was everything you guys owned."

"Daddy!" Sabina called out at she saw Tarramond and his wife running up the hill.

Xelloss shrugged at his father's comment and scooped up Tsunami in a cradle hold. "What happens, happens. At least I got Tsu-chan out in time." He grinned at his father, only flinching slightly as he heard the frame of the house collapse. "Still, it is depressing." He sighed, moving over to Filia as she sadly stared at the house. 

"We worked so hard..." She whispered.

"I know."

"Really confused, Lina." Gourry amended.

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   [1]: http://www.tbns.net/xelloss/evil
   [2]: http://www.tbns.net/xelloss/fanfiction/evil/talent



	9. Shyphiels New Talent

**For the Love of Evil**  
Shyphiel's New Talent  
By: Kiavie Willowroot

Lina, Amelia, Gourry, Zelgadis, and Shyphiel (who had found her way back to the boat when the commotion started) stared at Xelloss, Filia, Tsunami and Marner. 

"So...you don't remember us?" Lina asked again for maybe the tenth time. She was extremely irritated at her lack of magic. She figured if she could get Xelloss to remember that maybe she could get her magic back.

"No, we don't." Both of them said at the same time. 

"You don't remember the fight with Dark Star?"

"No."

"You don't remember the marriage temple?"

"No."

"You don't remember anything we went through together?"

"No."

Lina sat down on the deck cross legged and thought some more. "What if they are tricking us?"

"Filia would never play part of it...at least willingly." Zelgadis mentioned. "He's not behaving like a mazoku...but there must be a way to find out." Zelgadis thought some more. 

Shyphiel stepped forward. "I could find out." She clasped her hands in front of her and smiled softly. "I have a way."

"Eh? What, Shyphiel?" Lina asked, curious at what the shy maiden could do.

Shyphiel walked up to Xelloss. "Would you mind doing something for us? We are sure that you two are the friends that we used to travel with, but for some reason you do not remember us. I have a way to find out these things, if you are willing to let me. If you are who I think you are, then I can help you to remember your true past, Xelloss-san."

Xelloss looked at her for a moment and frowned. "I don't think that is a good idea."

"Why not?"

"How am I supposed to trust you and your friends?"

Shyphiel smiled slightly and tilted her head to one side. "There is no way I can make you trust us. All I can give you is my promise that all I am trying to do is help you to remember yourself."

Xelloss was quiet for a moment and turned his back to the preistess. "To be honest, I think I do know all of you somehow."

Lina put her hand on her hip and tilted her head just like Shyphiel. "Oh? And why is that?"

"Because you alll have been in my dreams."

Filia brightened and pointed at Lina. "Your right! She looks just like that painting you did! And so do the others come to think of it. Wow, she really is as small chested as you painted her..."

*WHACK!*

"Ow!" Filia glared at the sorceress as she rubbed her head.

Xelloss was quiet again before he turned to Shyphiel. "Alright. Maybe this will make my nightmares go away if I am lucky. What do you want me to do?" 

"Somehow, I doubt this will make any nightmares go away for him." Zelgadis muttered.

Gourry leaned to Lina. "You know Lina, I might be wrong, but do you think Filia should be around for this in case he does remember?"

Lina blinked in surprise and looked at the swordsman for a moment. "Good point....Amelia, come here, would you?"

"Hai?"

"Take Filia to eat lunch, would you? I think she should be elsewhere for this."

Amelia nodded and after a few exchanged words, Filia and Amelia left to the lower decks.

Xelloss was sitting in a chair, and across from him was Shyphiel, also sitting in a chair.

"All right, Xelloss-san. You need to relax compleately. It's like all the energy is leaving your body......you feel warm....and content...." Shyphiel when on talking, nonstop and rythmically, and Xelloss followed her instructions until his eyes closed and finally his head hung from his shoulders.

"What are you doing?" Zelgadis whispered.

Shyphiel turned her head to look at him. "It's called hypnotism. I put him into a totally relaxed state so he is entirely open to the power of suggestion."

Gourry thought for a moment. "I think I say this in a city once. A man made some other guy think he was a chicken."

Shyphiel nodded. "Yes there is a lot you can do to a person who is in this state. But we are just trying to make him remember." She turned to Xelloss. "Xelloss, can you hear me?"

"Hai..."

Spyphiel turned to Lina and frowned slightly. "Lina-san. I am not sure this is a good idea for me to do."

Lina glowered and folded her arms across her chest. "Oh? Why is that?"

"Well...some people are better off not remembering some things. I think this would be one of those cases."

Lina's frown deepened as she looked upon the shy maiden. "That doesn't matter. He is the only key for us to use to get our powers back. I'm sure he'll be fine, Xelloss is a tough boy."

Shyphiel frowned and whispered mostly to herself, "That's not what I was getting at." She sighed and turned to Xelloss to continue.

"Xelloss, how old are you?"

"Twenty five..."

"Are you sure?"

"Hai...."

"How long have you and Filia-san been married?" 

"Almost seven years..."

"What do you do for a living?"

"I run a tavern and inn. I paint. I write music. I play instuments. I trade...."

"Is Tsunami your's and Filia's daughter?"

"Hai...she is our daughter..."

"Tell me about her."

Lina stepped up to Shyphiel. "What are you doing? I thought you were going to make him remember?"

"I am Lina-san. Have patience. I am making him remember things, it's like a warm up." The priestess smiled at the sorceress.

"She is six years old. My father helped me name her. She is very smart but..." He trailed off.

"Go on, Xelloss-san." Shyphiel prodded.

"She is mute. She refuses to speak. Something scared her."

Shyphiel nodded and looked at Lina. "Are you sure you want to go on? If he remembers being a mazoku, who knows what he might do. This is the sort of thing that damages people.

Lina looked at Shyphiel and sighed. "You know, he's nuts either way so it doesn't matter. Besides, he's the only way I am going to get my powers back. I don't care how that jerk feels."

Shyphiel closed her eyes for a moment and turned to Xelloss. 

"Xelloss, I want you to remember who you are."

"I know who I am."

"No, I mean your other self. Remember me. Remember Lina Inverse. Remember Gourry Gabriev. Remember Zelgadis Greyword. Remember Amelia Wil Telsa Saillune."

Xelloss started twictching slightly. His mouth became a frown, and his eyebrows knitted together. 

"Remember the war of the Monsters Fall. Remember Ju-uuo-sama. Remember Xelloss Metallium, the mazoku."

The twitching increased. 

"Remember you life, Xelloss? Who are you?"

"......I....am......?"

"You are Xelloss Metallium the mazoku."

".....I...." The images were flooding in. Lina and her friends, the blood he spilt, the horrors he caused, his master, everything was comming in a mind numbing wave.

His eyes suddenly came into focus, and he looked at Shyphiel and screamed, then passed out.

Shyphiel sighed. "That is never a good sign." She started to help the purple haired man off the ground, Gourry helping her to lift him.

"What is never a good sign. Why isn't he awake?" Lina asked irritably.

"He broke the trance. That is only possible under a few situations. Either the person was not far under, someone jostled him, or his mind went under sever stress. I think it's the last." They were walking to the entrance to the lower decks when his eyes snapped open again and he struggled free of their grip. 

"Get away from me!" He yelled, backing off into a corner. 

Zelgadis eyed him a bit and leaned to Lina. "I don't think you should get too close to him..." He whispered, noting the look in Xelloss' eyes.

Xelloss' mind was racing. _They put those memories in my head...I never did those things....but....they feel true....it's the truth, isn't it? You're a monster..._ He clutched his head and the words kept playing in his mind. _I'm a monster...I'm a monster.....I'm a monster...._

"Xelloss-san?" Shyphiel stepped toward him worriedly.

_You're a monster...._

"Are you alright?"

_You're a monster..._

"Please, Xelloss-san...say something..."

_You're a monster..._

"I'm not a monster." He whispered to himself. He leaned up against the wall and started to sink to the floor, still clutching his head.

_You're a monster._

"No..no..stop saying that..."

_You're a monster...._

Lina looked at Shyphiel. "What's wrong with him?"

_You're a monster..._

"No...please...I...don't want...." Xelloss voice dropped to a whimper.

_You're a monster...._

Shyphiel shook her head sadly and looked at Lina. "I warned you. This was dangerous. Put yourself into his position. Lina, I know you want your powers back but I feel that I think I just assisted you in destroying a good man's life."

_You're a monster...._

"WHAT? HIM, GOOD?" Lina snarled, pointed at him. "This is probably one of his stupid pranks."

_You're a monster...._

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Xelloss yelled and huddled even tighter.

Shyphiel starred at her hard. "Picture this. You live your life happily. You have a father that loves you and raised you since you were little. You lived a heathy happy childhood. A boy you grew up with is handsome, loving, and sweet. You love him. You marry him. Your life is wonderful and in bliss, and you have a beautiful child together that you love more than anything in this world...."

_You're a monster...._

"Yeah, so?" Lina asked, not getting it. Zelgadis and even Gourry understood though, looking at the huddled man with pity.

_You're a monster...._

"Then a bunc of people come into your home, your home is destroyed, your child almost dies, and these strange people insist that they know you. They put you under a trance and make you remember who you are. You are not this domesticated man with a loving wife, a beautiful daughter, and a wonderful life, you were a creature meant to destroy, to kill....you've split innocent blood for thousands of years. You demolish cities, like the one you lived in....you kill people....like the ones you know and live with, you murder families...like your own."

_You're a monster...._

Lina's eyes got a little wide as she turned to Xelloss, who by now had tightened up so much that he could have been mistaken for a child. He was whispering over and over..

"What's he saying?" Gourry asked. 

Zelgadis was looking away from him, trying hard to not feel sorry for Xelloss after everything he had put them through in that past. "I'm not a monster...I'm not a monster...I'm not a monster..." Zelgadis' ears were much more sensitive.

Gourry was the only one to move, surprisingly. He knelt down and firmly set his hands on Xelloss' shoulders. "Xelloss....ne, Xelloss..." The blonde man shook him slightly. "Come on..."

Xelloss' head snapped up as he looked at Gourry, but his eyes were unfocused. Gourry shook him some more, calling his name over and over again. Lina's eyebrows knit together as she looked at him attempt to bring Xelloss out of whatever trance he had placed himself into. 

His eyes came into focus once again, his eyes locking onto Gourrys for a long time as they stared at eachother. Somehow, Gourry knew not to move yet, no matter how long the man stared, he didn't say anything.

"......Gourry?" Xelloss asked suddenly.

"Hey, are you alright?" Gourry asked quietly. 

Xelloss looked at him for a little bit longer. "Honestly...I've felt better." He smiled slightly. _The voices are gone..._ He thought with much relief.

"So....you do remember?" Zelgadis half asked, half assumed.

Xelloss weakly placed a forefinger by his mouth and quietly stated: "Sore wa himitsu Desu."

Lina SNARLED. "So GLAD to see that you are feeling like yourself, you JERK! Now give me back my powers!" 

"Uh..Lina-san..." Shyphiel started to plead. 

Xelloss glared at the redhead for a moment. Slowly, he stodd up, a little wobbly on his feet. He approached Lina, looking at her hard. "Look at my eyes for a moment."

"Yea, so?" Lina said quietly, not sure at what he was getting at.

"Notice, they look human, don't they?" He pushed.

"What are you trying to get at, Xelloss?"

SMASH!

Xelloss punched her square in the face, sending her reeling back.

"HEY!" Both Zelgadis and Gourry yelled in usion. 

"SO THINK TWICE BEFORE YOU SCREW WITH SOMEONES HEAD!" He screamed at her. Lina sat up, too shocked to be angry. 

"What....?"

"Did you even THINK about this? Making me remember? Sure, I consented, but how the hell was I supposed to know I used to be a mazoku? And don't you DARE do this to Filia! It would kill her!" He stomped off, leaving the others on deck.

"I think we went too far Lina." Gourry said quietly as he gently helped her up. "Even if he was a mazoku, it doesn't give us the right to do something like that."

"But it is also not fair of him to demand of us to not tell Filia. She has a right to know." Zelgadis added. "It's her decision, not his."

"Well figure it out tomorrow." Lina muttered, still not all together. "Shyphiel, could you heal this so it doesn't bruise?"

***** Filia enjoyed her meal with Amelia, parting with her after a long conversation that followed after they finished. She walked alone in the hall, turning to the room that once belonged, and now again, to Xelloss and Filia. She smiled to herself as she stepped it, quickly recalling some fond memories of this place. Xelloss was lying down on the bed, his hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling.

"Xelloss?" She called to him softly, walking to him and sitting down next to him on the edge of the bed. 

Xelloss turned to look at her and two thoughts came to mind at the same time.

_I love her._

_I hate her._

He sighed. _This is so confusing. I have no idea what my feelings are anymore...what am I going to do...?_

"Xelloss?" She asked again, a worried frown crossing her face. "What's the matter?"

He looked at her. _She is beautiful....but the things I did..._ A flash memory of the war of the Monster's Fall came to mind. He looked away from her. "I just don't feel like myself."

"So....do you remember them? Did they wake up this so called repressed memory?" Filia inquired.

".....I remember who they are. They're old traveling companions of ours. We dissapeared a month ago...and something happened to where our pasts were altered. We have another life beyond this."

Filia leaned forward. "I'm part of this? Maybe I should ask Shyphiel-san to bring my memory back."

Xelloss sat up strait and grabbed on to her arms. "No! You are better off not remembering. What you have now is much better." He hugged her tughtly and buried his face in her hair. _Please...I do love her...I love her far more than I hate her.....but she will hate me more than anything else if she remembers who she is. She'll think this is all my fault....that I tricked her...and I didn't...._ He kept his thoughts quiet so she wouldn't hear them.

Filia was surprised by his reaction and held onto him. "Well, can you at least tell me what you remember? Who are you really?"

Xelloss pulled back slowly and searched her eyes, trying to find out what she was feeling right now. _She's scared..._ "Who am I?" He laughed a little. "I'm not too much different from what I used to be...my personality is the same...minus the sadist/massocistic attitude and the homocidal tendencies."

Filia's eyes widened. Her mouth fell open and her mind went blank for a moment. She got her composure back and glared at him. "You're kiddng me, right?"

"No...I'm not. I wasn't a nice....person." _Tell her everything except that I was a mazoku...be honest though...._ He kept that thought VERY quiet.

"What...about me? What was I like?" She turned away, trying to absorb what he said. _He killed people....for pleasure....he's not like that at all...._

Xelloss looked at her for a long moment, thinking. Then he started to laugh.

"What's so funny?" She snapped, not getting what he found so amusing.

"You...haven't changed! Well, you aren't as religious, and you are not all out against me..." oops.

"Against you? Why would I be against you?" She inquired.

"Well, lets just say our personalities clashed, but to be honest I don't want to talk about it." 

"No, tell me! Why would I hate you?"

"Becuase I was a homocidal maniac with sado-massocistic tendencies accomanied with a strong desire to make everyone around me suffer from migrains." He grined.

"The migraine thing you do already..." Filia was quiet for a moment. "Xelloss. I want to remember."

He looked at her, then nodded. "I understand. Can we wait until tomorrow though?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"I want one more night...that you still love me." He sighed and looked down at the bed.

_He's never like this._ "Oh, quite being so melodramatic...no matter what kind of a person you once were, I'll still love you. Because that's the thing: what you ONCE were. You are a good, loving person. That is the Xelloss I know. I'm not worried, and neither should you be."

"Don't make a promise you can't keep."

"Xelloss, please..." Filia pleaded. He suddenly reached over and held her again. 

"You'll understand tomorrow. Just...sleep for now. Alright?" He smiled and brushed away the hair that strayed to her face. "Forget that those people are even out there. Is Tsunami asleep?" 

Filia yawned and stretched out on the bed, reaching for him to lay down with her. "Hai....snug as a bug in the next room."

Xelloss complied and lay down next to her, kissing her on the lips softly. 

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   [1]: http://www.tbns.net/xelloss/evil
   [2]: http://www.tbns.net/xelloss/fanfiction/evil/solitude



	10. Happiness in Solitude

**For the Love of Evil**  
Happiness in Solitude  
By: Kiavie Willowroot

The next morning, Lina, Gourry, Zelgadis, Amelia, Shyphiel and Marner sat together on the deck, eating breakfast. While Gourry and Lina wolfed down their food without thought, everyone else sat in deep thought. 

"So...he didn't take it well at all, Zelgadis-san?" Amelia asked lightly. He was trying to be careful around the chimera, he had been rater touchy ever since his powers were stolen from him. All he told her last night after they delt with Xelloss was: "He's not in a good mood." 

"No...in fact he punched Lina." He said back quietly, trying to keep it away from Lina. She was rather irked, having her powers taken away also then punch in the face by a man who is a lot stonger than he looks. 

"Oh my!" Amelia held once hand delicatly to her mouth. "You let Xelloss-san do that?" 

"Well, he was a little on the quick side, we didn't expect it. At first I was mad at him...but now that I think about it..." Zelgadis frowned, looking at her intently. "I think I understand where he is comming from. It's almost like what happened to me. I asked for more power, to be stonger. This is not what I expected, and I am bitter and hateful for it. I wanted to do more than just hit Rezo." He sighed. 

"Oh...and he wanted to remember who he was...but didn't expect that he was that kind of person. You both got what you wanted, but it wasn't what you had in mind. And even though Shyphiel is the one who is doing it, she is relu" Amelia deducted. 

Zelgadis looked at her in surprise. _She has grown up quite a bit since the first time I met her._ He nodded, and contiued. "Exactly. I am wondering now if we should do as he asked. He wants us to not tell Filia, or let her remember." 

"But that isn't right!" Amelia stared at him. "It isn't right to deny her the chance of remembering who she really is." 

"Yes, but what would happen to them if she remembered? And Tsunami?" 

Amelia was silent. "I...honestly don't know." 

Zelgadis sighed. "Exactly." 

Lina suddenly stood and brushed off her hands in an action that stated "I'm Finished". "I am going to get Filia, I think it's time you did you stuff on her, Shyphiel." 

Shyphiel frowned. "Lina-san, I think we should wait until Xelloss-san feels better. I'm positive he is still upset. I think you should leave him alone." 

"I agree." Gourry said, taking Shyphiel's side. "I think that it might be a bad idea. He was pretty mad at you Lina." 

"I don't care, our powers are missing except for Amelia's and Shyphiel's, and I want to get them back. The only way I see is making those two remember, because those are the same balls of light that took them in the first place that stole our powers, I'm positive." She marched off into the lower decks. 

"What did ye do to my boy?" Marner asked. He was afraid for his family, these people seemed to just storm into their lives like casualties were not a concern. And he was afraid of how much of his family they were going to hurt. 

Speaking of storms... 

"Looks like we're gonna 'ave us a biggin'." He looked at the large, dark looming clouds. "I hope it ain't too bad." 

*****

Lina walked up to Filia and Xelloss' bedroom door and knocked. No answer. She knocked again, still no answer. She tapped her foot impatiently and looked to the side, down the hall, and noticed Tsunami headed her way. 

Tsunami smiled at her and looked at her parents door. She knocked lightly. Still no answer. She opened the door slightly and peeked in for a moment, then pulled out and closed the door again. 

"Are they in there?" Lina asked. 

Tsunami nodded. 

"Then why are they not answering the door. Hey you two..." She went to open the door despite the frantic gestures made by the little girl not to. 

She opened it, then turned red head to toe. 

The parts of their body did not cover revealed to her that they were completely nude, and kissing quite passionatly. Lina pulled out of the room quickly, closing the door and stood there, totally shocked, while Tsunami shook her head at her. 

"Wrong..." Lina whispered to herself. "Wrong..." 

She walked out of the hall an to the upperdeck whispering "Wrong.." 

Tsunami followed her as she walked up to the others, sat down next to Gourry, and repeated "Wrong..." 

"What's wrong, Lina?" Zelgadis was the first to ask. 

Tsunami looked at him and made a bunch of signs with her hands. "What?" He asked. 

Tsunami sighed and faced Marner and did the same signs. Marner busted up into laughter. 

"What's so funny, Marner-san?" Ameila asked, curious. 

"Seems Lina here walked in on me boy and his wife." 

Everyone blushed except Marner, Tsunami and Gourry. Gourry looked at Tsunami. 

"How do you know that?" 

She signed at Marner. "Because I did too. Only I can take it, she can't." Marner pointed to Lina as the "she". "I tried to tell her not to go in there, but she seems to have a problem with listening." 

Zelgadis choked on his coffee trying to hold back his laugh (Lina was too close to do something like that). Amelia looked up into the dark sky and whistled to herself, trying to do the same. Shyphiel was still blushing from the thought of Xelloss and Filia, and Gourry scratched the back of his head as the red head continued to mutter to herself. 

After everyone had settled down again, Xelloss and Filia came up. Lina glared at Xelloss. "Felling better, I hope?" 

"A little. But it won't last." 

"Why?" Amelia asked. 

"Shyphiel-san, could you help me to remember too? I'm curious." Filia pleaded the shy maiden. 

"Oh..." Amelia stated. 

"I don't know if that is a good idea..." Shyphiel said quietly, looking into her cup of tea. "Your....husband probably agrees." 

Xelloss said nothing, he just studied the wood on the deck very closely. 

"We talked about it last night. He's alright with it." 

"Correction." Xelloss looked at her. "I am far from alright with it. I'm afraid of it. But you deserve to know if you really want to." He folded his arms across his chest and glared at her. "Like I can argue with a loud mouthed stubbron brat like yourself." 

Filia gave him the "look". "Watch it, namagomi." 

Marner sighed, Tsunami put her head in her hands, and everyone else groaned. 

"Namagomi? Oh, so we are going to start that again, are we?" 

"Namagomi, namagomi, NA-MA-GO-MI!" Filia stuck out her tounge at him. 

"Men, clear out, it's another big one!" Marner yelled out. 

"Yah, we know captin'. We see the clouds!" 

"No, I mean Xel and Fil!" 

Muttering and "oh my gods" erupted from all over the deck as men cleared the general area. Tsunami walked between them as they glared at eachother, making frantic motions trying to make them stop. 

The group continued to moan. 

"You are so ill mannered! You have no respect for me!" He yelled. 

"Whatever! You are just a whinny little baka! You don't appreciate me!" 

"Grr....what is there to appreciate?" 

"Excuse me? And what is there about you to respect?" She pulled her fist back to punch him. 

"I don't have to stick around for this!" He tried to teleport.... 

and forgot he couldn't. 

Tsunami ran up to her father as he slide across the moist deck from the impact, stopping close to Zelgadis. 

"Itteeeee....forgot I can't teleport..." Xelloss rubbed his cheek. "Damn...she's not even a dragon anymore and still hit's harder that any MAN I know..." 

Tsunami put her hands on her hips for a second before signing to her dad. 

"Tsu-chan, I wasn't trying to provoke your mother...yes I know she has a short fuse....Your grandfather is used to it I assure you we are not trying to humiliate you...no you are NOT the adult in the situation, Tsu-chan....Tsu-chan I swear!" Xelloss sat up and looked at his daughter in frustraition. "You need to relax more than anyone else I know." 

Tsunami glared at him for emphasis for a moment before hugging him. She let go and walked behind him while he still was on the ground and wrapped her arms around his neck. He stood up, holding her legs so she was piggy-back on him. 

Filia had calmed down at this point. "Well, at least this time there were no fires...." She looked to Shyphiel. "So, hw about it?" 

Shyphiel thought for a moment and nodded. "Sit here." She pointed to a pile of rope in front of her. Filia did as she was told and folded her hands on her lap. 

After a while, Shyphiel managed to place Filia under the same trance as she placed Xelloss in the day before. Everyone was staying for this one, and Xelloss continued to hold Tsunami.

"What's your first name?"

"Filia."

"Who are you married to?"

"Xelloss." 

"What is your daughter's name?"

"Tsunami." 

"What do you do for a living? What are your hobbies?"

"I paint...I make pottery...I help my husband run an Inn and Tavern. I like to study magic, and making clothes."

"Who taught you to use magic?"

"Xelloss and I had a teacher...named Terrama."

Marner's face grew darker and Xelloss choked. 

Shyphiel looked at Xelloss and then back at Filia.

"What was she like?"

"She was mean. She didn't like me, but it was like she hated Xelloss. She hit him all the time when we were kids. She would get mad over little things and liked it when we cried. We were afraid of her..."

"What happened to her."

"I hit her after she attacked Xelloss in a market. She went down and passed out. At least that's what it seemed."

Shyphiel noticed the braclet. "Where did you get your braclet?"

"Xelloss gave it to me the same day he admitted he loved me." 

Shyphiel smiled. "That must be important to you."

"Yes."

The shy maiden sighed and looked at Xelloss. "I am going to give you a choice Xelloss."

"Nani?"

"We can pretend that she couldn't remember, and bring her out now. Or go on with it."

Xelloss was shocked. _She really doesn't want to do this..._ "No...let her remember. But thank you. She would find out that we tricked her in no time."

"Why?"

Xelloss shrugged. "It's kind of wierd. We can read eachothers thoughts sometimes."

Shypheil blinked. "Well, I've heard of that before. It's a rare thing. Then I need your help."

"Why?"

"Because I do not know much about her past life. I know more of her new life just from these previous questions. Tell me a few things about her other self."

Xelloss set Tsunami down. "Her whole name is Filia Ul Copt. She was a gold dragon priestess. She carried a mace around with her every where...I can't honestly tell you how many times this woman chased me with that thing." Filia was twitching the whole time she talked, taking everything in even though he did not realize it. "Filia's human form was imperfect, her ears were pointed and she had a dragon tail that she hid under her skirt. She helped fight against a mazoku named Valgarv, who was an ancient dragon that was turned to the mazoku race, after the gold dragons had killed off their kind. She is around...oh, I dont know...she has to be over 500 years old, she was around for the war of the Monster's Fall. In that war, many golden dragons were killed...by my hand." 

Tsunami stared at her father, not comprehending everything. 

Xelloss looked at Shyphiel. "Is that enough? Because Honestly I don't know that much about her either."

"My...name is Filia Ul Copt." She whispered. "I am a gold dragon."

"Plenty, thank you." Shyphiel murmered. 

"Are you about to bring her out?" Xelloss asked.

"Hai."

"Give me a moment." He knelt to look at Tsunami. "Tsu-chan. I want you to understand something."

She nodded. 

"Papa and Mama were once different people. We were...reborn, I suppose. Do you understand that much?"

Tsunami made a skeptical face but nodded.

"Alrught. Well, I know you are very smart for your age so try and keep up with this. Your Mama did not like Papa at all. So when she comes out of this trance, she is probably going to hurt Papa really bad."

Tsunami frowned and made a gesture.

"No sweetie, don't get involved. That's the last thing I want because I don't know how much in her right mind she will be." He thought back to yesterday and his own reaction. "Let her hurt me, it'll make her feel better. But I want you to stay with Zelgaids-san and Amelia-chan, alright?" 

She nodded. He walked her over to the two said people. "Watch her, would you?"

"Sure, Xelloss-san." Amelia agreed. 

"What's going on?" Marner asked. 

"Um...just don't get in her way if she comes after me...dad..." _He is my father...but it's so weird..._

"Ok, bring her out, Shyphiel." 

She nodded. "Wake up." She snapped her fingers. 

Filia's eyes came into focus as she stared off into space. Her mind with the biggest clutter in the world. _Who am I...?_ She looked down at her hand and noticed the wedding ring.

_I'm married...._ she looked up at Xelloss. _To that filthy...mazoku...._ She started to cry. _But he's not a monster!_ Another part of her mind cried. _Once a monster, always a monster...he tricked you..._ she put her hands in her head, trying to think clearly. It didn't work, the thought of Xelloss, everything they did together...made her feel defiled, betrayed...hurt most of all. She looked up at Xelloss, who stood off to the side of everyone, starring at her with no visible emotions playing on his face. Just cool and collect.

Her eyes narrowed at she looked at him. "So. How much of this is your dirty little plan you jerk? Are you happy with yourself? Are you satisfied with what you've done? You've corrupted me!" She screamed.

Xelloss continued to look at her. He knew in this hysterical state there would be no reasoning with her. He just gathered his barrings and got ready to take what he knew was comming to him.

Filia walked towards him slowly, throwing accusation after accusation. "You are such a slime! I hate myself! I can't believe I fell for this trick! This has been a trick all along, I just know it!"She grew closer and closer, her tears streaming down her face.

Xelloss decided his voice would probably make her mad, so settled with just shaking his head in denial. 

"I HATE YOU!" She picked up a hammer from the deck that a sailor was using to repair some of the boards, and swung it at his head.

Xelloss knew she was going to hit him, and was bracing for it, but the hammer was unexpected. He tried to dodge when he realized that it would hurt to brace that kind of blow. He side stepped, but the hammer still clipped him on the side of his head. His eyes rolled back and he crumpled to the ground.

"What the hell are you doing Filia?!" Lina yelled, running up to grab the blond woman's arm, immediatly helping her was Zelgadis and Gourry. 

Tsunami's mouth dropped open as she ran to her father. Her hands inspected the side of his head, but it was hard for anyone to tell how bad he was hurt with all the blood. Tsunami started to cry as she looked at her mother. She signed at her in an angry manner. Even though Filia said nothing, everyone caught the gist of what she was saying.

"Why? Why did you do this?"

Filia starred in horror, full realization hitting her. "He's....human....he's....not mazoku..."

Lina rolled her eyes in frustraition. "Of course! Did you think he would shake that off? What's wrong with you? You know he isn't behind all this, he's as much as a victim as you are!"

"Oh, L-Sama, please..." Filia held her face in her hands. "Please..."

Shyphiel kneeled next to Xelloss, whispering a healing spell and trying to clean up the mess with a hankerchief. Tsunami sat by her father, looking at him to her mother and back again. 

After about ten minutes, Shyphiel finished. "Well, there is a problem."

"What?" Lina asked. Filia was completely tunned out at this point, starring off as she sat in the pile of ropes again.

"Well, his wounds are healed, and that is the good news. But, there seems to have been a little brain damage, and a healing spell can't heal this sort of thing. I tried, at least, but it's not working."

"What? What's wrong with him?" Amelia asked worriedly.

"Coma."

"Nani?" Everyone with the exception of Filia asked.

"He's in a coma. There's no telling when he'll wake up." 

"What the hell is goin' on with me family! I demand you people explain a few things to me." Marner was ticked. This was his last straw. Watching his family going totally bezerk was a little too much. 

Lina sighed. "Sit down captain, this is a long story. Gourry, Zelgadis, could you take Xelloss to his room and lay him down. Shyphiel, take Filia into another room AWAY from him, and Amelia..." Lina let her gaze fall on the little girl, then looked into the princess' eyes. Amelia nodded and walked up to Tsunami and whispered something to her. The girl nodded and followed her to a further part of the deck. Everyone did as they were told and got to work, until there was only Marner and Lina.

"Allright. I might as well start at the beginning, before we even met Xelloss or Filia for the First time. It will give you a better understanding of things. I'll start by telling you how I met Gourry..." Lina's story continued until the early hours of the next morning. 

*****

"You can talk with me..." A tall, young handsome man approached Tsunami. They were in a room, the walls made of marble, a huge black crushed velvet couch being the main sight in the decorative room. They were sitting on it, as the girl traced her fingers over the small ripples in the fabric. 

"I know."

"What's the matter, my little Tsu-chan? You seem preoccupied."

She told him briefly about what happened. He noded his head sadly. "Yes it was bound to happen."

"It makes me sad. All this makes me sad."

"You can get away from that saddness, remember. You have that power, Tsu-chan."

Tsunami looked into his ice blue eys for a moment and nodded. "I know. But I don't want to. I can live with the saddness."

"For now, maybe..."

*****

"Me head hurts..." Marner murmered. This whole thing was just mind boggling. This son has lived two lives? He used to be a higher level mazoku? His little Filia a dragon? What what what? 

The rain was pelting on them now, the waves churning rather badly. The men were keeping the Sea Blossom as steady as possible though.

Shyphiel came up, looking tired and worn. 

Lina walked up to her friends and put a hand on her arm, not sure if the shy woman could keep herself steady. "Are you alright?" 

"Filia-san is like her her own coma, but it's self inflicted and her eyes are wide open. Xelloss-san's condition is not changed." She sighed. "I can't do anything for either of them, Lina-san. It terrible. What about Tsu-chan? Both of her parents are completely out of it, and it's our fault." 

Lina sighed also, letting her go and looking at her feet as the rain formed minurature puddles around her feet. "I know. We are even more helpless than ever. This stinks." 

"Oi! What are you two doing in the rain, get in here before you get sick!" Gourry stood in the doorway to the lower decks, motioning for them to come in. 

"Hai, Gourry-sama." Shyphiel went immediatly. Lina stood where she was for a moment and looked at the looming sky. 

"What are we going to do?"

[Go Back][1] [Next Chapter!][2]

   [1]: http://www.tbns.net/xelloss/evil
   [2]: http://www.tbns.net/xelloss/fanfiction/evil/guessing



	11. Playing the Guessing Game

**For the Love of Evil**  
Playing the Guessing Game  
By: Kiavie Willowroot

The storm was tossing the boat across the ocean like a rag doll. Marner was at the wheel, with the first mate, Zelgadis and Gourry all trying to hold it steady it was spinning so much. Tsunami, in a dark mood ever since the mental collapse of her parents, turned for comfort from her grandfather, and stood close to him as the rain smashed on all of them. There was so much rain that anyone standing out there would be instantly wet within two seconds.

Lina and Amelia watched the group with worry, not much they could offer save suggestions here and there.

The boat was starting to get a little out of control. The waves were becomming enormous. Marner started to shout to crew mates. He looked down at Tsunami.

"Get inside now!"

She shook her head furiously. She took her hands off his arm and signed as quick as she could, so that she would not loose balance.

"Do not argue with me young lady! I'll be fine!" Marner bent over and kissed her on the forehead. "Go inside, please! It's too dangerous for ye!"

Tsunami starred at him for a long moment before she reluntantly removed her arms and started to walk away. The boat tossed heavily, throwing her down to her hands and knees. The waves crashed again, and the boat began to turn on it's side. People were sliding towards the water. Marner reached quickly for Tsunami, and made her clutch onto the wheel to hang on. Gourry had slide down to Lina, and was holding her by the waist with one hand, and one of the masts with the other. Zelgadis was making his way to Amelia, reaching out for her.

Once again, the boat tossed. This time turning to the other side. Almost completely sideways, to the point where everyone thought it was going to flip over. 

"Hang on!" Gourry yelled. Lina buried her head into his shoulder. Zelgadis tighened his grip on Amelia, and Marner did his best to keep Tsunami's grip on the wheel. Members of the crew were starting to go overboard, including the first mate.

"Hold on!" Marner called. "Hold on tight me girl!"

Tsunami shook her head in protest, trying to tell him to stay.

"I gotta save me men, it's the least I can do. They are family also. I love ye." Marner smiled and let go of the wheel, sliding down to the down side of the ship, and reaching for the mate that was hanging off the edge. He pulled him up as the ship was ready to righten itself. As the first mate got his footing, another member of the crew slid down rapidly, yelling and kicking, trying to find any purchase with his feet. He could not find one, and collided with Marner, sending them both overboard. 

"No!" Amelia started to run for him, but Zelgadis pulled her back. The ship had almost rightened itself.

"No Amelia! I know you can cast magic still, but these conditions would be too difficult!"

Tsunami stared.

The ship rightened itself, the waves stopped.

"Almost..." Dolphin whispered as she looked from under the water. "Come on..."

Tsunami looked at Amelia, Zelgadis, Lina and Gourry. Then at the doorway to the lower decks where her parents where, then to the side of the ship that Marner had gone over. She ran over, to see if she could find him.

Even though a dozen men fell over, there was not a sign of them. The waves had stopped, like all they wanted was to claim her grandfather, and now their hunger was sated.

"NO!" She screamed. The group started in surprise. 

"She's talking.." Amelia whispered.

Tsunami was letting her tears run freely now. "No more saddness! I'm sick of this! Take me away! Take me away!" She began to huddle and bawl into her knees.

"What is she talking about?" Lina asked.

Dolphin smiled.

A form of a tall handsom man with dark hair and ice blue eyes appeared. He was wearing light, black armor with gold outlines. He knelt next to Tsunami.

"Then come with me."

Tsunami reached for him, holding onto him like a last hope. He looked at Lina and smiled coldly. "Ah. Till we meet again, Inverse-san." And he vanished with the little girl in his arms. 

"What the hell? Who was that?" Lina shouted, running to the spot where Tsunami had dissapeared. "Where did she go?"

"Well, with my brother, of course." A voice, sweet in sound, rang from high in the air. Everyone looked up to find a petite beautiful woman with long light blue cascading hair done up in ordangos hovering above them. 

"Who are you?" Lina demanded. This situation was spinning even more out of control, and Lina was determined to get things back on track.

"Why, I'm Kai-ou, and that, my dears, was Ha-ou...also known as Deep Sea Dolphin and Dynast Grausherra. And I have come to provide a suitible distraction and to recruit a member into my ranks." She smiled smugly.

"What and who?" Gourry asked, srcatching his head.

"They're dark lords, you baka." Lina muttered.

"Oh dear..." Amelia made a very damselish gesture of putting her hands delicatly over her mouth in astonishment and leaning towards Zelgadis. "Xelloss and Filia are going to kill us for letting a dark lord kidnap Tsunami! We have to save her!"

"Uh uh uh...!" Dolphin waggled her finger at the princess and gave her a "you've been naughty" look. "Right now I should have your full attention. You see, I have something to propose to you all. First, let me tell you a secret though...." She leaned forward in a girlish manner and gave a sneaky smile.

"Yeah, and what would that be?" Zelgadis snapped, not trusting her (and with good reason).

"Well, you see...about your powers...I know how to get them back!" The dark lord grinned. 

Lina raised her eyebrows in apparent interest. "Oh, and how would that be? How do you know how to get them back?"

"Why, because I took them!" Dolphin rose higher into the air and laughed insanely. Lina grimaced and Zelgadis snarled. 

"So tell us how you are going to give them back already!" Lina yelled, her temper already reaching a limit. She liked Marner, and was starting to hate this blue haired dark lord a terrible lot.

"Simple: what am I here for? You have three guesses kiddies." The dark lord leaned back like she was lounging in a chair in thin air and inspected her nails, which glimmered with a pearlish nail polish.

"To piss us off, maybe?" Zelgadis muttered under his breath, his temper stretched to it's bare limit.

"Nope! Strike one!" Dolphin said cherrily, still examining her nails.

"Wha...that wasn't a guess! It was a sarcastic remark!" Zelgadis yelled in protest.

"Too bad stone boy. It counts. Make your next two worth it."

Lina looked at Zelgadis in irritation and crossed her arms across her chest. "Zel...no more remarks."

"Though I can give you a clue..." Dolphin said sweetly, smiling as she started to pick something out from under her thumb nail. "Stone boy isn't too far off...what I am going to do will piss someone off to no end."

Gourry, surprisingly (and to Lina's utmost fear) stepped forward. "You're going to make someone a mazoku, right?"

"Gourry, you idiot, don't waste our questions!"

"Actually, blondie just got you even closer. Seems like he was paying attention to my earlier statment. But strike two, for you need to tell me who I am after."

"What?" Lina asked in confusion.

"She said she was bringing someone into her ranks." Gourry stated.

Lina nodded and thought for a moment. _Who would make a powerful mazoku... Amelia isn't terribly powerful...and she is why into justice, she wouldn't allow herself to remain a mazoku...same with Shyphiel. Gourry is too dumb...but might make a good general. But mu gut tells me no. Zelgadis....? He would be powerful...but she has been totally disreguarding him, there has been no sense of focus from her to him. I don't think that. Me? Maybe me?....wait! Xelloss! He would make a powerful mazoku, of course! And they have his daughter, probably as blackmail! It must be..."_ Are you here to turn Xelloss to your ranks?" Lina asked.

Dolphin blinked in surprise. "Your pretty smart."

Lina grinned smugly and gave her a triumphant look.

"But still wrong, sweetheart." 

"Eh?" Lina's eyes got large as Dolphin blinked out and returned, with a body in her arms. She could hear Shyphiel screaming all of a sudden, her feet pounding on the wood of the lower decks ask Dolphin gradually rose to the air.

"Hey, let go of Filia-san!" Amelia cried out, starting towards the dark lord.

"I think not. Oh..by the way, Lina-san...tell that purple bastard that this is what he gets fro defying me." And Dolphin suddenly blinked out.

"Of course...of course! I should have realised it was Filia, not Xelloss!" Lina punched one of the near by masts in anger. 

"She just popped in! I couldn't stop her...gomen ne sai Lina-san." Shyphiel pouted slightly and looked at her feet in embarrisment.

"It's alright, Shyphiel." Lina mumbled.

"Um....Lina?" Gourry asked quietly.

"What is it?" She asked in a tired voice.

"How...are we going to tell Xelloss when he wakes up that his entire family was taken by mazoku?"

Lina sighed. "Hell if I know..."

The first mate, his face puffy from tears, clambored up to the small group. "Tell it to 'em strait. It's the only way ye can tell someone these sorts of things. Poor Filia-san and Tsu-chan are as good as dead. Anyways, we are in sight of land, and will dock soon. We need be moarnin' for the lost of our captain and the little gals." He sighed and wiped a few more stray tears as he shuffled off.

The ship docked, and almost everyone departed. Amelia stayed behind to watch after Xelloss (it was the right thing to do) while Lina, Gourry, Zelgadis, Shyphiel and most of the crew wandered through the moderately sized city. 

The townspeople were all dressed in white and gave the new commers odd looks, neither welcomming nor unwelcomming. There were several stages strewn about the town, where a person stood upon it and preached to the crowd below about "goodness, virtue and above all, purity". 

"Amelia would like this place." Lina commented, noteing how bent these people seemed to be on the "right thing". In fact...

"Hey...there is no graffite...no pick pocketing from what I can see...this place is spotless!" Lina looked around. "Everyone in this wierdo town is bent on goodness!"

Zelgadis nodded. "Yes, I noticed this earlier. I think the fact they all dress in white is more than a fashion statment."

Gourry made no comment and Shyphiel smiled as she looked apon the people. "These people seem so nice...it would be great to live in a city free of crime and evil."

A little boy tripped in front of the shy priestess at that point of time. 

"Oh, my! Are you alright little one?" Shyphiel asked worriedly. The little boy turned so he was sitting on the ground. Tears were already spilling down his cheeks, and both of his knees were bloody from the fall.

"Oh..that must hurt! Here.." Shyphiel borrowed Zelgadis' canten and poured some water onto a piece of fabic, and gently cleaned off his knees. "I'll make them feel better. _Recovery..._ Shyphiel whispered, holding her hands out before his knees. The wounds closed up, and the boys mouth dropped open.

"There..is that better?" Shyphiel asked sweetly. She noticed the boys look and reached out to him. "What's wrong?" The boy scooted back quickly and worked his mouth in an attempt to say something.

"What?" Shyphiel asked again, worried about the boy's behavior.

"....WITCH!" The boy screamed, getting to his feet and starting to run, screaming "Witch!" the whole way.

"I don't like this..." Zelgadis whispered in anxiety. "This isn't good."

A whole bunch of the townspeople came to them in a rush, grabbing on to Shyphiels limbs roughly.

"What's your name?" One of the men asked roughly.

Shyphiel was making small yelping sounds trying to get free of the hands, but there was too many of them. Lina and company were being held back. Thankfully, Zelgadis saw the unfriendly group comming from a distance and took off, knowing that, even with this chimeric strength and agility, that a frontal confrontation would be best avoided. He dove away from the group and down an alley, finding some safe shadows to dissapear into. He knew that if they thought Shyphiel was a witch...who knows what they would think of his stone skin.

"I don't want to repeat myself!" The man tugged harshly on the shy maidens arm, causing her to yell out in pain.

"Hey! Leave her alone!" Lina yelled out.

"Shyphiel....Shyphiel Nels Lahda...would you mind letting me go?" Shypheil asked as politley as possible, a little anger creeping into her voice.

"Shyphiel Nels Lahda...you have been accused of being a witch. This afternoon there will be a trial held to determine your innocence." He glared at Lina and Gourry. "And I would inform your friends of darkness that they are not helping your case."

[Go Back][1] [Next Chapter!][2]

   [1]: http://www.tbns.net/xelloss/evil
   [2]: http://www.tbns.net/xelloss/fanfiction/evil/tears



	12. Forgotten Tears

**For the Love of Evil**  
Forgotten Tears  
By: Kiavie Willowroot

A.N.: Yep...I am putting a note before this one. ^.^v This is Xelloss in his coma, what he is dreaming of. Zelas is explaining something to him that I will let you all know is NOT TRUE in the slayers world, at least as far as I know, so don't get these theorys confused with fact. Also, if you are a fan of White Wolf RPG games (particularly Werewolf) then you will notice that there is a simularity about how I explain the universes and the Triate of the WWS. So, yes, my idea was inspired by that. 

_Golden hair...._

Xelloss felt odd.

_Soft skin..._

_Filia....?_ He thought to himself.

A hand brushed back his bangs gentley, petting his head softly.

_Not...Filia...._

He looked up into the face. His eyes grew slightly wide and his mouth dropped open.

"Mother...."

He was on his knees. His head hurt...his body hurt...so many things hurt. He put his head in her lap and wrapped his arms around his head. _All of this is so confusing....Mother._

She continued to stoke his head gently. "Xell-chan..." She whispered, trying to see if he would repond yet. He remained still. He was crying, and emotions were pouring out in huge waves..._Facinating...even though he was a mazoku for over a thousand years, he is producing more emotions at this point than any dragon or human I know. Very interesting..._

"I am so confused..." He whispered.

"That is understandable." Zelas whispered to him, continuing to stroke the silky violet hair. 

"It is...?"

"Of course. You entire being has been tinkered with. Your identity has been ripped apart, and nothing is the same, in either life. You don't feel entirely human anymore, but neither do you feel like one of us."

Xelloss sighed sadly at her very accurate assesment of her feeling. It was all so depressing. A memory came back to him, and he looked up at his former master in astonishment. 

"You excaped from Dolphin!"

"No, I did not. I am still her captive."

"Then how are you here?"

"This is your mind, Xel-chan. This is a dream. In the real world, you are still in a coma. Right now, I believe, that princess of Justice is tending to you. 

Xelloss pulled away from her and stood. "A dream...a false reality, conjoured by my mind."

"No, I am real."

"But you just said..."

"Did you forget so much about mazoku already? Dreams are a link to the astral space, remember? And our true forms reside there. It is easier for me to reach you in a dream, even if this is only a mere fragment of myself. I came here to tell you something."

"What would that be?" He asked, for some reason he felt a lot of anger rising in him. "Maybe that I need to become a mazoku again? Or how about I have to defeat Dolphin? Are you going to just start treating me like your attendant again? Want a glass of wine, how about some cigarettes?" He gave her a dirty look.

Zelas sighed. "Look at you. Get a grip. I have more to bitch about than you. And you know it so sit down and listen." Zelas flicked her cigarette irritably, looking away from him. 

Xelloss couldn't help it, he bowed his head. "Gomen ne sai, lord Beast King." He sat where he was standing on the floor and gave her his full attention.

"Alright, now that we are cooperating, let me start by asking you a question: why are mazoku incapable of positive emotions?"

Xelloss blinked in surprise and opened his mouth, but thought some more on his answer. Finally he said, "Because mazoku are creatures of darkness..." He was going to continue on all the facts that were known why, but Zelas shook her head and frowned at him. "What? That's what you.."

Zelas interrupted him. "Xelloss, I never told you that. It's just what you and every other mazoku believe."

Xelloss started at her confused. "So are you telling me that it isn't true?"

"Well, it isn't...well, not entirly. Xel-chan, sit, this is going to be a long story on our history." Xelloss did as told and sat crosslegged in front of her, focusing on the beautiful blonde dark lord. 

Zelas took a deep drag from her cigarette and set her wine glass down, uncrossing her legs then crossing them again. She held out her hand and a tiny images of a woman made of gold, though her face undefined, came into view, standing on her palm.

"Our mother, L-sama, the Golden Goddess, is created by and created chaos. She is the being of all which come from. The ultimate, the supreme. You understand this much, yes?"

Xelloss nodded.

"Alright." Her fingers twitched slightly and the figure moved, holding her hands in front of her like she was holding a ball, and the space between began to glow. "She made our, and the other four universes. But do you know why?" She did not wait for an answer. "To be honest, our mother is a little more than just "kooky". She's a few sandwiches short of a picnic, a few eggs short of a dozen, a few fries short of a Happy Meal."

Xelloss gave her a very confused look at the last sentance, but Zelas waved him off with her free hand and took another drag off her cigarette before she continued. "She's nuts. Well, back then she was only a little nuts but it got worst with time. The worlds were created to represent her four aspects: The nuturing mother, the wise crone, the carefree maiden, and the destroyer. With these different "parts" of her so vastly different, she continually warred with herself, until she decided to make pawns of herself on for planes of exsistance. Are you keeping up?"

Xelloss nodded. "So, which one are we in?"

"Excuse me?"

"Which personality are we living in?"

Zelas chuckled. "Well well, you are keeping up. We live in what was known as her maiden aspect, the second most chaotic next to the destroyer. Back to the main points though. There was a balance meant to be kept in all the worlds. Thus in each world, there where many races created, three mainly to keep the balance. The keep the balance in this world, we have the Demons, the Dragons, and the Humans. But there are other creatures, such as the elves. But we will not decend into that subject for it is of no importance. What do mazoku do, Xelloss?"

Xelloss thought for a moment, trying to see if this was a trick question, but could find no other answer than the one he knew so well. "To...bring the world back to the chaos it once was. Isn't it?

"Yes and no. That is what is believed what L-sama intended for us, but, I have come across information that states otherwise. You see, these where our origional intentions." She held out both hands. There was an image of dragons, demons, and a humans upon her hands. "The dragons have lost their way as well, as a side note, they have confused their purpose as well, and are not in L-sama's favor. The dragons were origionally intended to study and create, and to guide the humans, the children of chaos." The image of the dragon held out a book to a near by human and the image started instucting. Another dragon Planted a seed and chanted over it, causing it to sprout within seconds. "The Humans were meant to create chaos and ramdon things. To make the world work, to explore, and to live as L-sama would have." The human with the book began writing in it, another was casting magic, a couple cuddled a baby, and another stabbed the man next to him. "The demons were meant to destroy the excess, to keep a balance within the chaos, to make sure things went the way as L-sama willed it. We were like the law." Suddenly the humans began to reproduce rapidly. One of the mazoku killed half of the population. The dragons began to grow, and another halved that population. The trees began to grow to alarming sizes, and a third destroyed that. The images dissapeared. "So we got the distruction thing right, we are just using way too much excess. And you know why?"

Xelloss was just starting to get a little lost. That's what happens when someone contridicts something you have known as fact for many many years. 

"Becasue of that stupid war the gods got into. Shabby dicided to get his knickers in a twist over the whole thing and retaliated by trying to destroy everything. And Cieffy decided that his balls were bigger and had the dragons turn into snobby uptights that wouldn't tell anyone a damned thing of knowledge. And you know what started that fight? Sheesh I don't even want to go into that! I just wish shabby would drop the boy look and go back to being a woman."

HUGE sweatdrop on Xelloss' head.

"Well, I only came to figure this out recently. L-sama spoke to me."

"Why? Why did she speak to you now and not before? Why didn't she tell us of this mess up in the first place?"

"Well, first of all, she's been loopy for a long time, she is only just starting to get her act together. Second, most of us, though we fear and respect her, we kinda ignore her. I opened up to her finally (and boy was she annoyed that I didn't return any of her messages) and she spoke to me of all this. It makes sense, that's for sure. And Three, L-sama is really ticked at Dolphin right now, she believes that playing with fate is a little too much like trying to take over the whole omnipotent being position that she holds."

Xelloss nodded his head once again in understanding.

"There is something else Xelloss, something that most of us Dark Lords forgot about that L-Sama has reminded me of. Something that we could use against Dolphin, though it requires a great sacrifice on your part."

"And that would be?" Xelloss had the creeping suspision what it was.

"I am sure you are well aware of my sitution, and I am not likely to excape my vengful sister. There is no way that you or your friends can save me with your lack of power, and I mean a lack of power when Lina actually has hr powers. We need to get rid og Dolphin though. L-sama said she is now considered excess, and we should destroy her as quickly as possible. There is this fact, that I might be the only Zelas Metallium, but I don't have to be the only Beast King."

Xelloss quirked an eyebrow.

"Xelloss, I am asking for you to let me pass on my powers to you."

He blinked. "You what?"

"I want you to become the new Beast King. Dolphin does not have a hold of you, and without control of the Beast King's powers, she is at a great lost. Become the next Jou-uu-sama."

He couldn't believe what he was hearing, Xelloss shook his head and stood up, turing his back to her. "I can't!"

"Why not?"

"I'm a human!"

"We could change that, you know."

Xelloss mind was racing. _But...but..._ "But I don't want that to change."

"Why?"

"Because..." Xelloss said lamely. He wasn't sure why, but the thought came to him suddenly as his former master spoke it outloud.

"Becasue you don't want to loose your emotions. The good ones. You want to love, be happy, and all that crap right?" She concluded, picking up the wine glass and draining it quite a bit. 

"Sort of."

"But, in that whole story, did you even get what I was hinting at?"

Xelloss turned around and looked at her in a confused manner.

"L-sama never said we weren't allowed to love, to be happy, to enjoy the finer things in life. It's something ol' Shabby made us believe."

"Are you sure?"

"Pretty sure." She put out her cigarette.

"Well, pretty sure is not good enough for me right now. I'll just say that I'll think about it." He thought for a moment. "What would happen to you if I became the new Jou-uu sama anyways?"

She put a finger delicatly to her chin in thought for a moment before answering. "Why, I believe I would cease to exsist."

*****

"Are you feeling any better?"

"I never will..."

"I will make you feel better, if you like."

"How?"

"I'll make you forget everything. Would you like that?"

"Forget...everything?"

"Yes, everything. You mother and father, you life, your nightmares, they will all vanish. Would you like that? I can give you relief...and power also."

"Power?"

"Yes, so much power no one will be able to hurt you ever again. Forget everything."

Tsunami wiped the tears away from her small cheeks and nodded. "I want to forget. Make me forget."

Dynast nodded and walked to her, kneeling down to her level. He smiled, and held onto one shoulder. "This will hurt. Are you sure?"

She nodded.

Dynast's smiled deepened as he shoved a dagger into her midsection, impaling through her lung. Tsunami made a silent gasp and leaned up against him.

"Shush...it'll be over soon..."

Her body was limp soon after.

*****

"How do you feel?"

"Excellent..."

"Where are your tears?"

"Hm? Tears?"

"Ha. Seems you have already forgotten them. Very well."

*****

"Poor wittle dragon, no where to run, no where to hide." Dolphin murmered as she looked at Filia though a viewing orb. Filia was standing in front of a window that she could not break, and through the window played images of her family being slaughtered over and over again by herself. At first she was screaming, then she tried to convince herself it was all unreal, but the images kept playing, and all she did now was huddle in the corner and mewl to herself. 

"Serves her right, the blonde bitch."

[Go Back][1] [Next Chapter!][2]

   [1]: http://www.tbns.net/xelloss/evil
   [2]: http://www.tbns.net/xelloss/fanfiction/evil/run



	13. Shyphiel on the Run

**For the Love of Evil**  
Shyphiel on the Run!  
By: Kiavie Willowroot

It was dark, no window provided for the cell she was in. And it was moldy and all around icky, Shyphiel decided. "A witch? I heal that boy and I am accused of being a witch?" She was getting angry again, she could feel it. "I can't believe these people." She muttered, kicking one of the walls softly. "It's really not fair."

"Nothing ever is." She heard a voice on the other side of the wall she kicked. 

"Ack!" Shyphiel jumped back, thinking at first that the wall was talking, then quickly realizing that there was another cell on the other side. It was a mans voice, soft spoken at the moment, but seemed capable of carrying a harsh tone.

"H...hello? Who's there?" She asked, still a little startled.

"Someone who didn't think he could get burned at the stake for casting a light spell when he couldn't see. You're getting tried as a which also?"

Shyphiel nodded, then realized that the person could not see her. "Well yes. I cast recovery on a little boy who had injured himself. He screamed "Witch" and ran away. Then all the townspeople where surrounding me and then I was hauled into here."

"Same with me. Only it was nighttime. And I cast a light spell so I could see in the dark streets." He mumbled several colorful profanities after that sentence. Shyphiel covered her mouth delicately at some of the words, but chose not to comment.

"Hey." He said suddenly. "We could bust out of here." 

Shyphiel blinked. "We...could?"

"You sound like a sorceress, at least of minor skill. A couple of fireballs, maybe a freeze arrow/flare arrow combination might do the trick. We could excape." She heard him stand up. 

"I think I am going to wait and see how the trial turns out. Maybe I can convince these people that magic isn't all bad...well, maybe in Lina sans case, but that's besides the point." Shyphiel sighed and sat down on the pile of straw stuffed in a corner. He didn't make a move to excape.

"Why don't you go yourself?" 

"Becasue I have no where to hide. I imagine you came by horse or boat, and you have a method of running away quickly. I do not."

There was a long silence. "Can we talk?" Shyphiel asked all of a sudden. "It's so quiet, and I am getting lonely."

"Go ahead"

"Well...I'll tell you a little about me and my friends. I'm Shyphiel. I've been traveling with my friends on and off for the past 4-5 years. Lina san is a short red head sorceress with a mean temper, but a heart full of passion for life. One really learns to admire her quickly. Then there is Gourry-sama, he is a tall blonde swordsman who is kind and sweet and gentle. Then there is Amelia san, who is one of the Princesses of Salliun. She loves justice and protects her friends fiercly. Then there is Zelgadis san, he's a chimera, cursed by his own blood, Rezo the Red Priest. He is on the quiet side, and can be blunt at times, but he is very loyal and determined. Then there is Filia san, who was just kidnapped, as well as her daughter. She is tall and blonde, who seems to have a temper of her own, but is very nice. And then there is Xelloss san, who has purple hair. He used to be a mazoku, but somehow is a human now. He's fallen into a coma, we've been trying to wake him up."

The man was silent for a moment. "I'm sorry about your friends."

Shyphiel smiled. "Oh, I'm sure it will all turn out fine in the end, it always does when Lina san is on the job."

They continued to talk for hours until two men came, with a pair of shackles for her ankels and wrists. They placed them in the appropriate places, and shuffled her out. They took her the other direction from that of the cell the man was in, so she never got to see his face.

They roughly pulled her to the town square, a large croud surrounding the open air court room. As Shyphiel was pushed forward, many people from the audience took rotten food and threw it at the shy maiden. Shyphiel cried out in protest, but the foul smelling garbage came in waves. Shyphiel noticed a man standing not too far away from her, also shackled, his hair blonde and long, with angular eyes and a handsome face. He looked at her and they locked eyes. 

"Do I know you?" Shyphiel asked, squinting as a rotten tomato smacked into her shoulder. 

"I was the guy on the other side of the wall." He whispered to her.

"Shut up, you blasphemous rubbish!" One of the men backhanded Shypheil, sending her to the ground. 

"HEY!" She could hear Gourrys voice cry out angrily. She could hear Lina yelling some of her own profanities also. They were being held back by several townsmen.

Shyphiel smiled on the inside when she saw her friends. But all she showed was a glare for the man who hit her. "I don't care you you think I am or who you believe you are, you should never hit a lady." 

The man yanked on her chains so she came so close to his face that she could smell his breath. "I'll do whatever I want witch."

Lina paced in her spot (well, as much room she was allowed by the guards) and muttered to no one in particular. "I swear, if they hurt Shyphiel I am going to....*mutter mutter grumble grumble*

Gourry just stood there, with his arms folded across his chest with a deadly look to his eyes. Suddenly Lina stopped her pacing as she looked out at Shyphiel.

"You know...that guy looks familiar." Lina scrambled in her mind trying to find an answer. 

"Shypheil Nels Lahda, Vincent Uth Colin, you are both accused of using the black arts, working with dark spirits, and practicing unholy rituals. All these are indications of being a witch. How do each of you plead?"

Shyphiel looked at him, setting her jaw firm before she spoke. "I don't know what kind of messed up town this is, but if healing someone is evil then I have been commiting evil deeds all my life!"

The audience gasped. Vincent stepped forward. "I couldn't see in these streets. It was too dark, so I conjoured a ball of light..."

The audience gasped again.

Vincent looked to Shyphiel. "What IS their problem?"

Shyphiel only shook her head.

"I don't believe we need to conduct this trial further. The accused has given me the virdict with their own words...you are guilty."

Shyphiel gasped at she felt herself pulled back, watching them drag a startled Vincent away as well. There was two stakes, piled high with wood and straw. They placed her back to the stake, and tied her to it firmly. Shyphiel's mind was racing, she couldn't focus, she was just way too disoriented.

Suddenly there was a shout. "Explosion Arry!" And serveral men were flying. For a brief moment the shy prietess thought that Lina has returned her powers, but then noticed the man Vincent standing before her. He took a knife off of one of the fallen men and slashed it through the ropes that bound her.

"Come on." He took ahold of her hand and jumped down the pile with her following. Shyphiel could see Lina and Gourry headed right for them. But a man suddenly intercepted her view of her friends, startling her.

"Witchs will burn!" The townsman yelled, holding a pick and getting ready to drop it down on her.

"Yah!" Shyphiel screamed, brought her fist back and punched him full on in the face. He collapsed to the ground, his eyes swirling in a daze.

"Oh...my..." Shyphiel stared at him for a moment then was forced to walk away by the insistant tugging of Vincent's hand upon hers. She could hear Lina cheer ahead.

"Right on Shyphiel!" The red head came up with Gourry behide her. The people were running like mad from the explosion, only a few remaind to try to detain the "witches".

"Vincent! These are some of the friends I was talking about! Lina Inverse and Gourry Gabriev!" Then she noticed a cut on Vincent. "Oh! You hurt yourself! Let me help!" Shyphiel placed her hands over his wound and whispered the right incantation...

but nothing happened. 

"Oh dear. Ummm...it seems I wont be myself for a couple of days." Shyphiel realized quickly, coughing delicatly.

"Lina-san! Shyphiel-san! Gourry-san! Quick, to the boat! They are trying to burn it down!" Amelia landed from her rei wing in front of them. Lina nodded. They all started running through the town. 

As Amelia was running, her foot slipped into a little hole and caused her to trip. A snake attacked, started by the princess' accidental trip over its home. Amelia yelped in pain, but had no time to examine it as Zelgadis picked her up, appearing from no where. 

"It seems we have overstayed our welcome."

The townspeople looked at Zelgadis, and stopped for a moment. "A demon!" One of them screamed, causing quite a few of them to run in panic. Zelgadis glared at them, trying very hard not to try to hurt them for their comment and focus on getting to the ship. 

Finally, the ship was in site. The group piled up the plank and gourry pulled it up after everyone was aboard. 

"Well...that was exciting. Vincent was it? Nice to meet you. You know...you look like someone I know.." Lina said politley, holding out her hand...

"Amelia? AMELIA!" Zelgadis had set the princess down and was frantically shaking her. "AMELIA! Wake up!" 

The princess was unconscience, her skin pale and her skin hot. Zelgadis looked at her leg, remembering how she was clutching it when he picked her up. There was two swollen bitmarks.

"She's been bitten. She must be poisoned. Shyphiel, you have to heal her right away!" 

Shyphiel shook her head, her eyes large in fear. "I...I'm sorry Zelgadis san...I...my magic..." She looked down and blushed, knowing that Zelgadis wouldn't get it unless she came out with it. "It's that time of the month."

Zelgadis' eyes widened. He looked at Vincent. The ship had already set sail, and was drifting far away from the shore of the psychotic town. 

"Sorry. I know absolutely no white magic. I'm all shamanistic and black." Vincent shrugged his shoulders. "But we can try this." Vincent got to his knees, taking Amelia's belt off.

"What are you doing?" Zelgadis snapped.

"Cool it hot shot." Vincent said in a snippy tone. He looped the belt over just above her knee and tightened it A LOT. He looked at Zelgadis. 

"You suck out the poison. If any of us ingested the poison, I believe you would survive it the best." 

Zelgadis nodded, remembering something about treating snake bites. He rolled Amelia gently to her side and began to suck the poison out as quickly as possible.

"At least this way she might have a chance." Vincent murmured. "How foolish." 

Something about what Vincent said made her look at him again. The realization suddenly hit.

"Valgarv!"

[ Next Chapter! ][1][Go Back!][2]

   [1]: http://www.tbns.net/xelloss/fanfiction/evil/snake
   [2]: http://www.tbns.net/xelloss/evil



	14. A Snake to Kill, A Snake to Heal

**For the Love of Evil**  
A Snake to Kill, a Snake to Heal  
By: Kiavie Willowroot

Lina hovered over Amelia worriedly. 

Zelgadis had carried her to the lower decks, resting her on Filia's bed. He kept stroking the hair at her face, frowning to himself. Gourry had checked the ship to see if there was a doctor anywhere, and Shyphiel went to tend to Xelloss. 

_You care about her more than you would like to admit..._ Lina thought to herself. 

Amelia was getting worst, that much was apparent, her skin was so pale she looked like she had never seen the sun. Vincent walked up behind Lina.

"Excuse me...how do you know that name?" He asked quietly.

Lina turned slowly to him "So...you don't remember. But you recognize the name, eh?"

Vincent nodded. "My mother found me when I was a new born baby. She said I was wearing this locket which had a name on it," He indicated the silver chain around his neck. "But she thought that name was ugly, so she named me something else." He stood quietly for a moment. "I'm going to get something to eat. I'm hungry." He opened the door and walked off.

"Unnnggghhhh." Lina heard a familiar hung over moan that she had not heard in _years_ comming from outside the room. Lina burst through the door to behold her old friend and rival. 

"NAGA! What the hell are you doing here?"

"Huh? Lina! Oh, trying to get away from that nutcase witch town! They didn't like what I was wearing, of all the nerve."

"Oh, Naga, it's great that you are here! You need to heal my friend!"

Naga quirked and eyebrow. "Lina...you can do it yourself, I'm sure."

Lina shook her head, knowing she was going to have this rubbed in her face later. "No, my, and a few others, have our powers taken away. She'll die without help, Naga!" 

Knowing this wasn't time for boasting or belittling Lina's confidence, Naga stepped into the room and looked at the black haired girl.

_Buh-dump...buh-dump..._

Naga could hear her heart beat. She dove out of the room and looked around frantically.

Lina chased her down and caught her. "Naga, what the hell are you doing? I thought you were going to help!"

"No..Lina you don't understand...."

"Is it that time of the month?"

"No.."

"Then you are right, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU! But if you don't save that girl, I will never forgive you. That man in their holding will go beyond not forgiving you and will kill you, that I can assure you, Naga."

"Can you help her?" Zelgadis asked, comming out of the room. "If you can, I'll pay you anything. Name your price..." 

Lina looked at Zelgadis startled, then to Naga, and was in for an even bigger surprise. 

".....I'll help her. No need to pay me." Naga walked in quietly.

"No pay? YOU turned down money?" Lina stared incrediously.

Zelgadis stepped beside Lina, leaning down to whisper a question to her. "How do you know her?"

"She's my old traveling compainion. Before I met any of you, she was the person who I worked with as a Sorcress for Hire...though often times we were competitors also." 

Zelgadis nodded and pulled another chair up to Amelia's bedside, since Naga took posession of his. Naga was brushing her hair out of Amelia's face and smiling sadly.

"Naga...what's with you?" Lina asked, senseing the discomfort and sadness eminating from her old friend/rival. 

"You'll see Lina." Naga began murmering the recovery spell. Her hands glowed, the glowing sinking into the princess' body and spreading. The color immediatly began to return to Amelia's face. Zelgadis let out a greatful sigh and watched the princess. 

Her fingers twitched. 

"I really must be going Lina..." Naga stood up and made her move to get away, but Lina held on to her. "What is it Naga? Why does Amelia scare you?"

"Sis?" Amelia said weakly, looking at Naga with wide eyes.

"Hey, brat. You've grown." Naga said, smiling at her.

Amelia's eyes began to tear up. "Onee-san!" She tried to get up, but was still a little weak.

"WHAT?" Lina exclaimed. "You two? Th...th...that....that...w..wou...would me..mean...t..." Lina was totally shocked as she pointed to Naga stuttering.

"That I am also known as the Princess of Salliun, Gracia. But to you I am still Naga. Keep it that way." She walked up to Amelia. "Wow...you are really big!" Her eyes drifted a little downword to Amelia's chest. "Ha! See that mom gave you her blessing also."

Amelia looked down at her chest and blushed, draping her arms over it in an attemp to hide it. "Um...where have you been?"

Naga asked at the same time: "What have you been up to?"

Lina left the room, with Zelgadis behind her. She closed the door. "That...was weird."

"What was?" Gourry asked quizzically as he walked around the corner. "Sorry Lina. There was no doctor...how is Amelia?"

"She's fine, Gourry. A friend of mine healed her." She said in an absent tone. " I never thought those two were sister...but it makes _sense_. They both have a very small grip on reality, totally filled with self confidence, and their own sense of warped justice. And they even look alike. How come I never saw it before?" Lina walked past Gourry keeping herself in deep thought.

"I think I am going to have a talk with Vincent." Lina pounded into the dining area of the ship, and found Vincent right off the bat, eating a bowl of noodles. She sat down next to him and placed her chin in her elbow. "Do you have dreams?"

"Nani?" He asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Do you have dreams that are kinda odd." Lina asked, remembering something about Xelloss remembering them though dreams. Then the thought of Xelloss sparked an idea.

"Well, yes." He said carefully.

"Come on, then, I need you to meet one of my friends." She took his hand and without waiting for a response pulled him around until they came into Xelloss' room. Lina pointed at Xelloss.

"Does he look familiar?" She asked.

Vincent frowned. "I know that I don't like him."

Lina smiled. "There's a start." She shuffled around through Xelloss paintings, hoping that maybe he painted..."A ha!" She pulled out the canvas, looking at the mostly done painting. "How about this?"

It was a painting of Gaav.

Vincent blinked and gently took the painting into his hands, examining the face, the hair..."He's.." He took his index finger and traced the face slowly. "I know him. How do I know him...?" 

Lina knew it was working. she dug through the paintings and pulled out a picture of Filia. "And this one?"

He snatched it out of her hand and looked it over. "Mm..." He did the same tracing thing. "Something is not right...her ears...they're not pointed..." 

Lina grinned. Oh yeah, the wheel was turning. She dug through more portaits, until she found a very good one. "Here..." She handed it to him.

It was a very detailed painting of Valgarv, his winds half spread and sitting on a rock with a moon behind him. "Me..this is me." Vincent placed his hand on one of the wings. "Me..."

Lina flashed a victory sign at Zelgadis. "I'm just glad we didn't have to use Shyphiel! She doesn't like to do it."

Lina dug in pile and pulled out a portrait of a woman with a little blonde child on her lap. The same woman from the other portrait.

Vincent gently took the painting, looking at it with wide eyes. "Filia mama..." Suddenly his eyes closed and snapped open as he dropped the picture. "Where is Filia mama?" He stood looked around the room expceting to see her.

"She's not here Val." Lina said, trying to calm him down. 

He turned to stare at the redhead. "Lina...?" 

"Yep, in the flesh. And you look pretty confused. I'm just glad that you are nice." Lina said cheerfully, pretty confident that, with his experiance with Filia and not being a mazoku, chances where he wouldn't try to kill them.

Val sat down in a chair, looking at Zelgadis and Gourry, who stood behind the sorceress. "Why am I here? What happened?"

"First, what would you like us to call you." Lina asked.

"What?"

"Well...you've been called Vincent, Valtreia and Valgarv. Which is it now?"

"......Just call me Val. I think that's best. Where is Filia?" He narrowed his eyes, suspecting something was up.

Shyphiel walked in, striding slowly. "Oh! Vincent! You're here...." She was startled by the look on his face.

"Call me Val, Shyphiel." 

"Uhhhh...sure...Val...I just came in to check on Xelloss san. I'll be needing that chair please." Shyphiel nodded to him as he stood and offered her the chair.

"What's with him?" Val growled, indicating Xelloss.

"Coma. Be easy, Val. The same thing happened to him. He's been a human for twenty some odd years. Trust me, he did not like remembering who he was. Shyphiel said that his mind was on the verge of collapse before Filia hit him, it would have happened eventually. In short, Filia and Xelloss where taken from us, somehow, as well as yourself, sent "back in time" I suppose as human babies and lived your lives as humans...what Dolphin is up to completely is beyond me though. Well, Xelloss and Filia I guess ended growing up together, and getting married."

Shyphiel took Xelloss' temperature, checked his reflexes, and washed his face with a washcloth. 

"Nani?" Val asked, his eyes growing large.

Lina held her hand up to stop him. "That's not all. They have a daughter, named Tsunami, who was kidnapped by Dynast. Filia, after having hre memories returned and flipping out, smashed Xelloss with a hammer, thinking this was all a trick made by him. The impact caused him to fall into a coma and shortly thereafter Filia was also kidnapped, but by Dolphin. So when Xelloss wakes up he's going to be really pissed off for a good reason so DON'T provoke him Val." Lina finished the sentence with a level stare at the former mazoku/ancient dragon's direction. 

He responded with a stare of his own. 

"Hm?" Shyphiel made a sudden startled noise, her back becomming ridged for a moment. "Xelloss-san?" He touched his forehead and brushed his bangs back with her cool hand.

"Nani?" Lina asked quietly, hoping, yet dreading, that maybe he was comming to.

"I..I thought I felt him squeeze my hand." Shyphiel looked at his face closely, examining it to see any form of movement. "Lina san! I think he's waking up!" The shy woman cried out happily. 

A light groan excaped his lips as he tossed his head to the side and opened one eye, taking in Shyphiel. "Ung....how long...?" He mumbled, closing his eye from the pain that the dim light caused his weak eyes. 

"Almost a week. Not long when compared to a lot of cases of coma out there. You are very lucky." Shyphiel whispered to him, gentley laying her hand on his arm.

"For some reason, I don't feel like a lucky person." He muttered, opening both of his eyes slowly. He turned his head again and saw Lina, and gave her a smile. "Ah, who is AH!" Xelloss suddenly realized that it was Valgarv standing next to the red head. He sat up quickly, in reslut feeling the shape pain of a pulled muscle in his back. He flinched in pain, but kept his eye on the blonde. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I might ask you the same." Val replied, crossing his arms over his chest and leveling a trademark glare of his at the former mazoku's direction. 

"Knock it off, you two. Xelloss, we need to talk." Lina stepped between them, getting ready to sit down when Amelia came in with Naga behind her. 

"Ne, Lina san. I think it would be better if Shyphiel and I do the talking. Would you mind leaving the three of us alone?" The princess asked in a polite tone.

Lina got the feeling that this would probably be best. "Alright. I'll just grab something to eat...that is if Gourry and Zelgadis haven't cleaned us out already...or maybe just Gourry." Lina winked at the girl and pounded out, dragging Val and Naga behind her.

"Xelloss san, I chose the two of us to talk to you becasue I feel that we could relate it the best to you, since we have both experianced this." Amelia brought up a chair and sat next to Shyphiel, giving Xelloss a meaningful look.

Shyphiel nodded in sudden understanding of the princesses logic of the choice of the two of them. "Xelloss san, this is difficult, but I am afraid to tell you that Filia and Tsunami are gone."

Amelia, seeing the look on Xelloss face, decided to quickly amend Shyphiel's statment. "They were both kidnapped. They could be alive, but I am not sure considering who took them. Deep Sea Dolphin took Filia, and Dynast took your daughter."

Xelloss sat up slowly, looking at both of them with a dead stare. "So....." Xelloss drifted, not sure of where his thoughts were going. 

Shyphiel put her hand on Xelloss' and gave him a sad look. "And I am sorry to tell you this, but..." Shyphiel took a deep breath. "There is no way I could think of someone telling me about my father when it happened except to give it to me simple. So here it is...Marner passed away. Dolphin attacked the ship, and he went overboard. Tsunami just...snapped. She started talking, Xelloss san. She was screaming something about there being no more sadness and Dynast came and took her away. Then right after that Dolphin snatched Filia. I'm really sorry." 

Xelloss chose not to look at her when he realized where she was heading, not trusting himself to a calm reaction. He bit his lip and stared at the wall, his mind mostly blank.

_Papa....I want some icecream! Icecreamicecreamicecreamicecream...._

Allright! Allright! Calm down, or ye gonna pop, boy....

Papa! Filia-chan is picking on me again!

You're the one who brought her home boy! 

Nice to see you again papa.

Ha! Like it is ever nice to see you! Troublemaker! How are my girls?.....

Xelloss dropped his head and faced his blankets.

_Fi-chan! Stop it! No! Stop! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!_

But it's fun to tickle you! Maybe I'm not trying hard enough! 

Filia! You are so destructive! And emotionally unstable!

Why you....NAMAGOMI! Get back here and take it like a man!

Filia.....I....

I love you too, Xelloss.

He clutched his head, his mind flooding with emotions and images. 

"Xelloss san?" He heard both girls ask simotaneously.

_Papa! I got it! Tee? Tee?_

Yes, I see honey. Let the frog go now.

Papa! Papa! Lookie! Lookie!

No! Tsu-chan don't touch that! It's hot! No! Oh for the love of L-sama....

*silence*

Won't you please say something sweetheart?

"What is going on?" Xelloss whispered so quietly that the girls could not heard him.

_Xelloss, become the next general._

Get your vengence.

Save your family.

Restore the order.

"No!" Xelloss cried out. For some reason, he was out of breath. "...*gasp* I.....*gasp*....wont......*gasp*.....I....*gasp*.....wont...." He repeated the same phrase over and over.

Amelia develped a concerned look on her face, but managed to hold back Shyphiel. "No, Shyphiel. this is something personal of his. He wouldn't want comfort. We should leave now." Amelia stood, taking the shy woman's arm and leading her out the door, closing it behind them gentely. 


	15. Faster Amelia, sing sing!

**CHAPTER 15**  
Faster Amelia, sing sing!  
By: Kiavie-chan

(A.N. ooohhhh...that naughty word I have been promising all of you is here! And I know not much in the action or plot development department happens in this chapter...its mostly for my need of some comedy and romance...it's also my way of reflecting on Xelloss as a human....the song that a certain someone sings later in the story is "Crystal Clear" by Jaci Valasquez...I thought this song fits the character very well...)

Xelloss finally emerged from his room after many hours, his face showing no evidence of his feelings or concerns. Everybody practically knew to just leave him alone for the time being, that this was something that Xelloss had to wrestle with himself. Mazoku or no, he was not the type that wanted comfort. He wanted to analyze, think, reason...not cry, hug, and "talk about it". 

His smile came so much more easily when he enjoyed misery.

It was poetic justice, really. Amelia, if she were not so kind hearted, would actually think this befitting. He has hurt, murdered, tortured, everything unjust in the book. And now, a new life, a new way...and everything he had learned to love was ripped away from him.

Xelloss decided that he truely disliked justice and everything poetic at that point. Life in general...well...

"WHY IS MY LIFE SO FUCKED UP?!" He screamed to no one in particular, turned around, and stomped out of the room. 

Lina sat there with a chicken leg hanging out of her mouth, Gourry paused in mid shovel (fork piled high with meat) Zelgadis raised his eyebrows not moving his cup from his lips, Amelia stared at him with saucer eyes and mouth dropped, Shyphiel held a delicate hand in a feminine manner up to her lips, Valgarv also rose his eyebrows smirking slightly, and Naga tossed Lina a questioning look.

Almost reading his thoughts from earlier, Zelgadis made a comment. "It's almost like the gods are getting justice on him for what he did as a mazoku."

For some reason...that made Amelia angry. For once, Amelia did not support Justice. "Zelgadis-san...sometimes you make me so angry I...." Amelia trailed off, standing up and staring at the chimera. "This isn't justice...it's cruelty! It's sad! If it was supposed to be justice, why involve Filia-san? She didn't do anything! Or poor Tsunami-chan? Xelloss, at this time, is more like you than you will ever see!" She turned around, following Xelloss earlier example and stomped out, yelling "YOU HAVE STONE FOR BRAINS!"

outside and updeck, Xelloss leaned over the rail of the ship, looking to the water thoughtfully. "Get my vengence...ha...I'm not stupid." He peeled off a little splinted and examined it disheartedly as he continued his thoughts. "Filia is still alive...I can feel it. But Tsunami..." He couldn't feel her at all inside of him. Nothing. "Where are you, my little Tsu-chan?" He asked quietly as he tossed the splinter to the sparkling water below.

The princess walked up quietly behind Xelloss, then appeared beside him, sitting on a barrel and leaning her back to the rail Xelloss was hunched over.

"Xelloss-san...I know that this is a question that is asking for a bitter and sarcastic answer...but are you feeling alright? I mean..." Amelia drifted off..trying to think of a different way of phrasing it or an explaination for the question.

Xelloss sighed. "I know what you mean, Amelia-chan. I'm ok, in physical terms. And though I am incredibly angry, sad, and confused amoung other things, I am fine in the metal department as well. It's just that my life is so..." Xelloss could not find a suitabe word for the pain, anguish...everything he was feeling. "I think I pretty much summed it up in there."

Amelia nodded. "I understand. I have not suffered the amount of personal lost as yourself, but I can relate."

Xelloss turned to look at Amelia, still without a smile, nodded himself. Amelia stared at him for a moment.

"Xelloss-san...you know that your eyes are very pretty when you are human?" Amelia said without thinking, noting the violet crystal which lived within his iris'.

Xelloss blinked in surprise, then smiled. "Why Princess, are you paying me a compliment? I am flattered."

Amelia got over her embarrisment and laughed at his comment. "Yes I was, I believe. And that smile seems a lot more honest with human eyes to boot."

Xelloss laughed lightly and turned so his back was also leaning against the rail. "Ano...Amelia-chan, how are you? You seemed troubled lately."

Amelia sighed like Xelloss did ealier and stood to stand beside Xelloss, leaning against the rail as well. "I am...it's odd really. Um...well, there is someone I feel stongly for..."

Xelloss interuppted her and smiled, holding up a finger. "Ah, a certain chimera within our ranks I am sure."

Amelia blushed, about to protest.

"Oh, come now, princess, don't lie! Everyone knows it. Save Zelgadis-kun, who has rocks for brains."

Amelia blinked at his statement and belly laughed so hard that Xelloss wasn't sure what was wrong with the girl. He laughed as well though, catching a little bit of her mirth. "*Giggle* Amelia-chan, what on earth is so amusing?"

"I just told Zelgadis that."

Xelloss face faulted and looked at the princess. "You told him he had rocks for brains?!" He cried incrediously.

"Well...something more along the lines of "Stone for brains".." Amelia giggled.

"My goodness, princess, you have been around Lina-chan for much too long! The viciousness is spreading! Though I can't say Zelgadis-kun didn't have it comming to him." Xelloss mused.

"What do you mean?" Amelia asked, the giggle fits finally ceasing.

"Well...tell me princess, why did you lash out on him? What was the reason?"

Amelia thought about it and decided repeated Zelgadis' words would make a mistake. Xelloss was actually in a good mood at the moment and Amelia wanted to keep him there. "I would rather not repeat what he said."

Xelloss had a feeling it was about him, and decided that Amelia was not going to say it in fears of making him angry. He nodded, and held up his finger again. "Ok...then now what is the *true* reason princess?"

"True reason?"

"Why are you angry at him? Why did you lash out?"

"Because of what he said."

"No...Amelia-san, I have a feeling it was about me, correct?"

Amelia nodded.

"Now see...looking into the psychological view of this, I believe that his statement DID make you angry, however, I believe when you insulted him that you were referring to something else. What he said about me was not a direct link to you or your feeling, so subconsciensly you used it as a vent for your feelings, so that he would not know your anger at a different situation."

Amelia's eyes grew wide as she thought about his words. "Xelloss-san...you sure know how to drive in the head of the nail, don't you?"

Xelloss smiled at the princess and absentmindedly peeled another splinter. "Hai. But I was also once a mazoku that was around you all the time, that could feel your emotions. You're frustration, your anger, your hurt...I felt all those. Though there was not much to feed off of from you, they were there."

Amelia sighed and also peeled a splinted off, examing it. "What should I do Xelloss-san..." Amelia thought about what she just said and laughed. "Whoa..I never thought I would be asking you for advice in this sort of thing."

Xelloss also laughed. "The world has been full of irony lately. Soon well discover that Gourry is a genius."

They both went into a fit of hysterical laughter before they resumed their conversation. "Anyway Amelia-chan, you are a very intelligent person. But the problem is, so is Zelgadis. And Zelgadis has denile and stubboness in his corner. That just means that you need to be crafty. The straitforward approach wont do you any good. It will just make him embarrised and angry. You need to trick him, make him admit to you before you confront him. Or he will just receed into his personal shell even more. Do you know what his problem is, Amelia-chan?"

Amelia shook her head, listening to his words with interest.

"He is afraid. He thinks that you might accept him now, but after you truely see him that he will be nothing more than an ugly monster.." Amelia was about to protest but Xelloss held up his finger to stop her. "Ah..let me finish. HE thinks he is a monster...he has spent so much time embedding that belief into his head, that that's all be believes. He wont change his mind with simple words. For Zelgadis, you need actions. For they speak much more loudly than words...and words are what he has been telling himself. You need to speak louder than his mind, and your voice cannot do it alone."

Amelia blushed slightly, staring at the splinter and nodded slightly. "Actions...what do you mean?" She blushed a deeper red.

Xelloss laughed slightly and put his arm around her shoulders to both of their surprise. "Amelia-chan, you are so naughty! Blushing like that! That is not what I am talking about though. If you did something like that he would think he took advantage of you and never forgive himself. So that is a no-no." He waggled his finger at her again with his free hand, winking at her. "You have to get him to admit to loving you first, Amelia-chan. Then he will believe you, and himself. When he admits to loving you in return, he cannot convince himself that it is a lie, that he took advantage of you, or anything like that. 

Amelia's blush lighened. "Do you think that he loves me?"

Xelloss sighed. "That, princess I do not know. Do you love him?"

Amelia stared at the splinter. "I do...at least I think I do. I am not sure what love of this kind feels like...I don't know how to discribe it."

Xelloss smiled. "Ah, that, Amelia-chan, is a feeling that is indiscribable! It feels good, but it hurts. The person you love can make you feel warm or cold...you want to give them everything, and be given to by that person. You seek to make them happy, to give them their dreams. To give them support, to show them everything they ever wanted, and to take them places they never imagined. To hold them...to comfort them...even though you may argue, insult eachother, become angry, and throw fits of rage...it overpowers everything. They linger in your thoughts, drift in your dreams, and everywhere you hear their voice. Because they are your world, and your world is everything you want to know."

Amelia stared at him in surprise, feeling tears building up in her eyes as she looked upon Xelloss smiling at her. "Xelloss-san......"

Xelloss cocked his head to the side, a little confused by her reaction to his discription. "Did I say something wrong? I was telling the truth!" He got a little defensive, and made an "urk" sound when Amelia latched onto him, hugging him tightly.

"Xelloss-san...I am so sorry..." Amelia was astonished. He put her feelings to words so well. And at the same time she realized he was talking about his feelings for Filia, and the empathetic princess was pained to think of loosing Zelgadis. "I am so sorry about what happened to you..."

Xelloss sobered a bit, actually holding onto the princess in return. He never pictured finding comfort in the little sorceress...but...then again her positive feelings were like poison as a mazoku. Now...as a human it was quite the opposite. 

"It's quite alright, Amelia-chan. I am sure you and the others did everything in your power. But I will get Filia back. That I have no doubt. But right now we can't do anything about that. But we can do something about your problem."

Amelia pulled away and creased her forehead in a thoughtful/questioning look. "My problem?"

"With a certain reluntant chimera." Xelloss smiled.

"How?" Amelia inquired, truely curious to what the former mazoku had up his sleeve.

"Well...as I understand it, we are surviving on whatever funds the ship can provide, correct? Well, our funds are not endless, in fact they are horribly depleated. So..." Xelloss revealed his plan to Amelia.

Amelia stared at Xelloss in shock and disbelief. "You want me to WHAT?!" 

"It's a good plan, Amelia-chan! I am sure it will work! If that doesn't get ol' stone boys blood boiling I have no idea what will!" Xelloss smirked.

Amelia gave a huge blush and looked out to the water. "...............alright."

"Sugoi!" Xelloss chirped. "That's the spirit!"

*hours later they dock*

"I am SO hungry!" Lina hollared, getting ready to stomp off a ship and head for the nearest resturant.

"Me too!" Gourry added, following at the red heads heels.

"Um...Lina-san?" Amelia called out timidly.

"What is it Amelia?" Lina asked a little irritably, being momentairly distracted from her goal.

"We have limited funds." Amelia phrased delicatly.

"Lina...we hardly have any money left!" Shyphiel added.

"Yes, you have drained this ship quite efficently, Lina-chan." Xelloss muttered. "I am going to go sell some of my paintings to earn some more. I suggest you find a temporary job yourself Lina-chan. Find some bandits." Xelloss had many paintings tucked under his arm, having a hard time keeping them all in one place.

"I'll go with you, Xelloss-san." Amelia said, taking a few of the paintings and helping the purple haired man.

Naga looked at her sister then at Amelia. "Amelia, you don't mind if I go with Lina, do you?" Naga asked softly, her attitude towards her sister much different and loving than to others.

"Go ahead! I'm just going to help Xelloss-san. Have fun." Amelia smiled as she watched Lina, Gourry and Naga walk off. Zelgadis stood there, looking at Amelia for a moment, before he turned and followed the three.

Amelia sighed. "He's still mad about what I said." 

Without saying a word to anyone, Val and Shyphiel walked off together into the moving sea of people, leaving Amelia and Xelloss along.

"Well...that was easier than I thought it would be." Xelloss commented offhandedly. "Well...lets get this thing started!" 

The two of them also decended into the people.

Many hours later, Xelloss and Amelia finally found what they were looking for. They stood before a large building, where the sounds of chattering people and music carried thoughout the building and to the street.

Amelia stared at the building, having second thoughts. "Xelloss-san...I am not so sure that this is a good idea anymore."

"Lighten up, Amelia! This will be good for you." Xelloss contradicted.

"But...I am not sure my morals would agree..." Amelia began.

Xelloss waved his hand and cut her off. "Amelia, nothing bad will happen to you. And you are doing nothing bad. This is art!"

For some reason Amelia did not feel reassured.

A couple hours later Amelia was sitting in a dressing room with Xelloss and several other girls. 

"Xelloss-san I'm nervous!" Amelia clutched her hands together.

"Amelia, your having another conscience attack. Forget the voices. This is not as bad as you think it is!" Xelloss began tumbing throught the different outfits. 

One of the girls approached Amelia. "Have you ever done this before?"

"No...I am really nervous." Amelia looked up at the bright brown eyed woman before her.

"Oh, I still get nervous to this day! But it's fun!" She gave Amelia a bright smile.

"Really?"

"Oh yes! I love doing this! Here, how about I show you a few things?" She offered, finding a clear place on the floor.

Amelia nodded and stood next to the woman, while Xelloss thumbed through the costumes and holding one up occasionally.

*****

Lina let loose a huge sigh as she picked the twitching and burnt bandits clean of their valuables. "Zelgadis, when are you going to stop moping?"

"I am NOT moping." He grumbled in protest.

"Actually, you seem pretty upset with my little sister telling you off! OH HO HO HO HO HO HO HO HO!" Naga's horrendous laugh rang throughout the area.

Zelgadis and Gourry had never heard the laugh. And never do they want to again.

Gourry was attached quite firmly to Lina, chibified, as he stared at the tall woman in the wannabe dominatix outfit let out her most potent weapon. "Lina! I'm scared!"

Zelgadis....well....

*twitch* *twitch* *twitch*

"OH HO HO HO HO HO! Why, one would almost think you liked my sister by the way you reacted!" Naga declared.

Zelgadis couldn't take it. It did the only thing suitable that came to mind...*WHACK!* he smacked her across the head and sent her flying to the dirt. 

Lina looked down at Naga and smirked at Zelgadis. "Yeah, that's pretty much what I do."

Gourry peeled away and looked at Lina. "Did it stop?" He whimpered.

Lina pat his head reaasuringly and smiled. "Yes...the bad laughing lady stopped, thanks to Zelgadis."

Gourry turned to Zelgadis. "Thank you! But...you know she's right. What Amelia said seems to bother you a lot."

"As if I was supposed to be happy to hear a friend say that to me?" He snapped.

"Amelia was just upset." Lina told the chimera. "She wasn't trying to hurt you, she was angry."

"I think she over reacted a bit." Zelgadis grumbled.

"Maybe she was mad about something else then." Gourry said offhandedly.

Lina blinked at Gourry in slight surprise and smiled at Zelgadis. "He could be right. In stead of mopping about what she said to you, maybe you should find out what's wrong."

Naga finally stopped twitching and was brushing the dirt off her skin, tossing Zelgadis a nasty look. "You know...my sister does not normally lash out at people like she did you. Unless they defy her sense of justice of course." Naga sighed. "Gods she takes after daddy so much in that respect. I miss him so much..." Naga's voice drifted away for a moment as she was lost in memories. "Anyways!" She came back suddenly. "She only lashes out at people like that if she cares about them. As they say, those you love and trust are the only ones who can hurt you most. So I think you should take it as a sign she cares about you, Zelgadis." Naga commented, starting to walk further down the path. "Well, Lina, are we going to blast some bandits or what?" 

"Naga, don't you dare leave without me!" Lina yelled, running after the tall woman with Gourry close behind. 

Zelgadis' face was a little flushed from the comment that Naga made. *Amelia..cares for me...* he had seen signs before, but he tried to wave them off, ingnoring them. Telling himself that her affection belongs to someone else, not him. In time she would realize. 

He looked up, noticing the fading figures of his companions and started after them. He heard Naga suggesting someting.

"Lina, after we get enough money how about we go eat somewhere nice."

"Sounds like a plan!" Lina chirped. 

*****

"Ne, Amelia-chan, try this on would you?" Xelloss held out a white, simple dress. It was long, with a slit up the side, the neck line dipped low. He thought it would be very becomming on her.

Amelia took the dress and went behind the changing screen. "Ano...Xelloss-san, have you picked out something for me to sing yet?"

"Indeed. I picked it out a while ago. Something I wrote." He laughed, a little embarrised. "I thought it would suit you, Amelia-chan." 

"Oh?" She inquired, pushing back the curtain and stepping out. "Can I see it?" 

Xelloss just stared at her.

"Nani?" She asked, afraid someting was wrong. "Do I have something in my teeth?"

"No...you are very lovely when you want to be, Amelia-chan. I should smack Zelgadis myself."

Amelia blushed a very deep red and looked away. The dress really *was* becomming on her. It accented her curves very nicely, and the white made her look even more pure that she already did. Her hair style was the same though...

"Amelia-chan, I think we should do something with your hair." He commented, taking her arm and sitting her in front of a mirror and waving a hair stylist over.

"What's wrong with my hair?" Amelia asked offhandedly, and blinked as Xelloss placed a couple sheets of paper into her lap. "What's this?"

"It's the song." Xelloss said, smiling as the hairstylist approached and fingered her hair. he was a tall, thin statured man that wore very *interesting* clothes.

"Oh, _honey_ you hair is beautiful! It would look _just_ marvelous curled and pinned up! Oh, oh! Let me get the curlers!" The man ran off.

Xelloss and Amelia sweatdropped. "Er...well....he's energetic isn't he?" Xelloss commented.

Amelia laughed a little and looked down at the music, reading the words. "Xelloss...this song is sad..."

"That's correct. I think a sad song will have more of an impact than something happy and sunshiny." He said in his cheerful tone.

"Xelloss-san...how are we going to make sure Zelgadis comes here?" She asked, looking up at the former mazoku.

"That, Amelia-chan, is a secret." He grinned and sat down on the make up counter.

Amelia pouted. "I was hopping being a human would help that secret stuff."

Xelloss shrugged, closing his eyes and grinning stupidly. "I suppose not."

The man came back and started fussing with the princesses hair, while Xelloss spoke to the pianist. "I would like to play her number if you don't mind." He pointed at Amelia.

"Do you know how to play?" The man inquired.

"Do you think I would be asking if I didn't?" Xelloss asked irritably, sitting at the bench and putting up the sheet music. Studing it for a moment, he played the first note tentivly

. "You are going to have to be able to play more than just the first note." The man stated smugly.

Xelloss glared at the man over his shoulder. "Oh? I would have never guessed. More like this, then?" He started to play the music that he knew so well, his fingers running smoothly over the keys. The other man's eyebrows shot up. 

"Eh..not bad. Ok, you can play her number." He walked off, assuming that Xelloss needed the practice.

"Oi...Amelia-chan, I am going to play, why not practice with me while he fiddles with your hair." 

"Fiddle? Honey, I do not 'fiddle'. This is art!" The man proclaimed. 

Once again Xelloss and Amelia sweatdropped.

*****

"I think we have enought Lina." Zelgadis commented to the sorceress.

"....alright. FOOD TIME!" She yelled, marching back in the direction of the town.

"Hey, Lina!" Naga called.

"What is it, Naga?" She didn't bother to look over at her old rival.

"I have a suggestion of where to go." She said with a smile.

"Really? Where?" 

"It's called "The Broken Keys" tavern." Naga replied. "I heard their food is very good, and they actually have some good entertainment. 

Lina shrugged her shoulders. "Eh, as long as the food is good and plenty!" She exclaimed as they headed towards the tavern.

They came before th place, it was *huge*. Many stories tall, the buildings higher than ground level were rooms to stay at. When they walked in, they noticed many tables to dine at, a large, encompassing bar, a stage, and several black boxes throughout the dinning room. 

"Looks nice." Lina commented. 

Zelgadis did not say anything, but Gourry made a "comment".

"I don't see any broken keys..."

Lina smacked him across the head. "There isn't any, baka."

"Itee...Lina why do you have to hit so hard?" He whinned as they were seated relatively close to the front, next to a black box.

"What are those black boxes for I wonder?" Lina mused.

"They are mini stages." Zelgadis spoke up. "For when the singers want to be in the middle of the crowd."

"Oh..." Lina waved down the waiter. When the man came, she handed the menu immediatly back and replied "Yes." As well as Gourry. Naga made an order for a drink, and Zelgadis got his "usual"...coffee.

The waiter, after almost collaping in dispair, cleared his throat and gave all of them a forced smile. "The show will be starting in five minutes. Do enjoy." He walked off with his order. 

The lights dimmed rather quickly, and a man in a suit stood on the stage with a micophone. "Good evening Ladies and Gentlemen, tonight we have a lot of talent ready for you...a special line up! There are even a few totally new acts tonight, but we will be playing some favorites of course!" He smiled, and went on a discription of the evening before them. 

Naga was just glancing around, thinking to herself *I hope this is the right place...where, it's where that Xelloss guy told me to bring everyone. I wonder what he's up too..* She thought as she fumbled with the purse of coins that he had given her in *thanks* for her cooperation. Then she noticed two people at another table.

"Ne, Lina, aren't those two your friends?" She asked, indicating a couple at a far off table.

Lina looked at where she was pointing and raised her eyebrows. "Well well...seems Valgarv and Shyphiel are getting along nicely..." Watching as the two of them engaged in a quiet conversation, each smiling ever so often. "I'm glad they get along."

The first act was up...several women dancing in a a cabana line to a very jumpy song...the food came out very quickly, at the end of the performance. Gourry and Lina set off to eating at their usual pace, while Naga sighed contently as she stared into her glass of liquior. While Zelgadis sat in silence.

Many acts passed by, and towards the end, as before each performance, the man in the suit came out to give a bried explaination of the performance to follow.

"Next is one of our new performances. They are only doing this for one night, folks, so we are very lucky. Next up is a beautiful young woman, with a song that will move you to tears. Her voice is that of an angel. And she looks like one too!" He exclaimed. "Her friend, who will be the pianist for this song, wrote the music for her. Please give a warm welcome to Amelia and Xelloss!" Clapping rang throughout the audience.

Lina and Gourry choked on thier food at this, Naga grinned, and Zelgadis almost dropped his cup.

Amelia was standing on the box next to them, not looking at her compainions as the spot light hit her. Xelloss started playing, and Amelia lifted her head and sang with all her heart.

_When I'm a sparrow in winter, You are a seed I find  
When I'm a heart with a splinter, Your blood keeps me alive_

Amelia lifted her head to the ceiling and continued to sing, her white dress sparkling in the light as she smiled softly to herself. Xelloss had his side to the audience, his attention focused on the keys before him.

_If I could call you a color, You'd be the deepest of blues  
v If I had my pleasure of anything, You'd be the one that I'd choose_

She turned her head slowly and looked at Zelgadis, her eyes looked sad and full of emotion. Zelgadis blushed slightly and set down his cup, but kept his eyes on the princess. _She cannot possibly be talking about me...can she?..._

_Now it's crystal clear I'm falling for You  
Now that I can see the mystery's revealed  
Now I'm coming clean  
I can feel my fears released  
Now it's crystal clear I'm falling for You_ Amelia stepped off the box and was walking between the tables, stopping so often to look at a gentelman and sing a few of the words for him. Zelgadis sighed when he saw her. _I didn't think so..._ For some reason that tore at him like nothing else. 

_I'm soft like clay  
Your hands they mold  
For You, I would run away  
Just to hear You calling out my name_ Amelia circled around until, at the last word she came up behind Zelgadis. He did not turn around, but he felt the flush on his face. Lina held up a little "You go girl" sign and flashed a victory, which made Amelia smile while she was singing. Naga grinned up at her little sister, almost prideful of the bravery her little sister was showing. Gourry...well...he just was thinking, trying to figure out what exactly Amelia was doing.

_Now it's crystal clear I'm falling for You  
Now that I can see the mystery's revealed  
Now I'm coming clean  
I can feel my fears released  
Now it's crystal clear I'm falling for You_  
Amelia just stood behind him while she sang. _Why isn't he turning around?...fine, Zelgadis-san, if you wont turn around I make you face me....be brave like Xelloss-san told me to..._ Amelia walked up to his side and placed a hand on his shoulder, leaning her face close to his as she sang.

_I'm broken and empty  
Without You, I'm blinded  
I need You,  
I need You near me, I need You near me  
_ Zelgadis nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt the girls hand upon his shoulder, and blushed deeply when he felt her gentle breath against his face as she sang to him. He kept his eyes focused on the wood of the table, too embarrised to look at the princess in the eyes at such a close range. Amelia was starting to get aggrivated, she was trying *so* hard to get him to look at her...and he kept his eyes cast down. Well...she wasn't about to let all the trouble she and Xelloss went through go to waist. She side stepped and sat on the table right in front of him, smiling as she sang, keeping her hand on his shoulder.

_Now it's crystal clear I'm falling for You  
Now that I can see the mystery's revealed  
Now I'm coming clean  
I can feel my fears released  
Now it's crystal clear I'm falling for You_

Zelgadis looked up at her as she sang and continued his blush. He did not move...he was afraid to. He thought she might dissapear, or get himself caught in an embarrising situation. Her face was so angelic when she sang...and her eyes were so clear, honest...she was so soft...he blinked when he realized his thoughts were trailing to places they should not, and started to downcast his eyes when the entire place went dark...pitch black. He gasped so quietly he was sure he was the only one who knew of it....and he felt Amelia shift slightly as she sang the last words.

_Please catch me, I'm falling for You..._

He felt her lips...they kissed his in a feather soft brush, so innocent and sweet that Zelgadis was left breathless. He closed his eyes against the darkness of the room, closing out his senses to everything save what he was feeling. Dispite everything, his self loathing, his bitter demeanor, all the angst...he wanted to feel this more than anything at the moment. 

He was about to return the kiss when Amelia pulled away and walked from him, decending into the darkness as the last keys Xelloss was playing faded. The blush had lightened for some reason, a light stain on his face. The lights came up and everyone in the room was looking at him. His embarrisement returned full force as he looked down at the cup he set down earlier and studied it's contents *very* closely.

Lina was looking around for her friend, chicken in hand, Gourry was devouring his food, Naga was beeming like a proud parent, and Zelgadis...

"I need to go for a walk." He stood and walked away from the table heading for the front door. Lina stood to stop him and ask him some potentially embarrising questions, but Gourry pulled on her cloak and made her sit down. The sorceress glared at the swordsman.

"What did you do that for?" She snapped. 

"Leave him alone Lina...and besides, if you follow him you leave your food undefended." He smiled and picked up a large slice of ham.

"Goooouuuuuuuury! I was eyeing that peice! It's mine by _right_!" She lunged at the swordman and the food fight began.


	16. Daddy's Little Girl

html  
  
*daddy's girl*  
  
(WARNING: slight lemon)p  
  
Clapping could be heard throughout the room...echoing off of the cold, deaf walls.p  
  
"Well done...." A man's voice joined the echo's...as cold as the walls surrounding her. p  
  
She looked down at the bodies around her...blood washed everything in it's trademark color. The metallic taste rich on her tongue...feeding her blades and her. The scent brought her to a euphoric state; she took in her surroundings with obvious glee and pleasure. The man's voice called to her attention, as she turned her head sideways and looked upon him. Only a moment passed, as she lingered on the taste a while longer, before she kneeled before him in deep respect and loyalty.p  
  
"I am pleased to hear so, Dynast-sama." Her light purple hair brushing slightly against her face from the pony tail it was pulled into. Her dark blue slitted eyes focused on the ground, where a pool of blood lay beneith. Her fingers were long and delicate, the nails polished with a light crystal white color. She had become his general after dispatching of the previous one...in a rather gruesome manner, to boot.p  
  
"You may stand, my lovely." Dynast chimed lightly, an actual smile pulling the corner of his mouth as he looked upon her hunched form.p  
  
She stood slowly, pulling the had that was bathed in blood to her face, lapping it up slowly, catlike, with her eyes closed. After a few laps she opened one eye to examine her lord. After she finished, she let her hand fall and looked at him with open amusment. "M'lord...that's was most enjoyable..thank you for the recreational activity."p  
  
Dynast smiled at her, moving a gloved hand under her chin and lifting it up to look at him, his eyes burrowing into her own. "You are the only one who would consider training a recreational activity." p  
  
Her eyebrows arched. "That was training? How so? I hardly saw a challenge. Those humans were pathetic. None of them could use magic...though I refrained from my own. I love the feel of my blade sinking into flesh...it's wonderful Dynast-sama." She smiled dream like, looking upon her master with adoring eyes.p  
  
He actually chuckled...iShe is definatly a woman of my own heart/i he thought wickedly as he tightened his grip on her chin. "You like a challenge then? How about this one: amuse me. It's rather difficult, but I must say you are the only being who has come close to amusing me."p  
  
Tsunami grinned and stepped forward, wrapping her arms around his back and kissing her lord with a hungry passion, letting the taste of human blood mingle between their mouths. He released her chin and equaled her hunger, licking the roof of her mouth before pulling away for a moment. She was no longer a girl...most definatley not. A woman in every repect and desire. Her natural beauty was astounding. He merely aged her body, nothing more, he added no beauty to her. It was all her....and all captivating.p  
  
"Ah...many woman have tried..." He was cut short by another kiss. i This girl has the odasity to silence me? I'll punish her later.../i He thought as her mouth seemed to beccon him to focus on her alone. One of his hands held the back of her head while the other trailed down her side. Tsunami's hands dropped lower on his back until she came to the bottom of the back plate of his armor. She pulled the kiss apart for a moment to give him a slightly annoyed glance. "M'lord...this armor is troublesome and takes to long...to...well now aren't you sweet?" Tsunami grinned, as the armor faded off his body before she could finish. She worked at the undershirt, giving slight playful tugs, slowly releasing it from his body. p  
  
Dynast was amused...a long time since that has happened. But he said nothing, wanting her to continue to amuse him. This girl had fire in her unlike his other servents. And fire was so warm, even in personality, compared to this cold region. He gained much pleasure from her fire...it was empowering in a sense. His hands seemed to moving on thier own accord, repeating on her what was just done to him, removing the womans shirt. He reached down and grabbed her hip, pulling her lower body closer to his own, trailing his kisses down to her neck. Tsunami giggled at the little nips, tilting her head to the side and pushing her teeth into his shoulder, raising a low growl from her master. She moved one of her hands ontop of his bare chest, pushing him to the ground and tasting him with little licks as he watched her with hungry eyes.p  
  
There Dynast and his general stayed for a long time, her continuing to amuse her lord.p  
  
(A.N. Gomen ne...I needed to work that out of my system O.o...NAUGHTY Kiavie-chan!! but it is also more important than it seems...it's my way of showing how Tsunami feels about Dynast. And what she has become...BAD DYNAST . what have you done to their daughter?? )p  
  
center*****/centerp  
  
The screaming was lonely, painfilled, and quite insane.p  
  
Dolphin *loved* it. The sweet music that the blonde dragon produced was so sweet to her ears that the dark lord pitied that it would have to end soon.p  
  
"Well...since it doesn't have to end just yet, why not look at my little pet?" The blue haired mazoku giggled, standing as graceful as water and swaying down the halls of her underwater keep until she came to the door of the chamber that the once dragon was kept. She opened the door slowly, the screaming increasing ten fold as it was relased from the closed chamber. p  
  
Dolphin stepped inside, closing the door behind her and looked through the glass window into the chamber that she was kept. p  
  
Filia just stared at the glass that Dolphin was hiding behind, screaming with her eyes wide open in fear and insanity. Her hands were up to her face, the nails on her index fingers sinking into the skin on her cheeks, sending tails of blood across her face as she screamed in absolute horror. p  
  
Dolphin smiled sweetly for a moment, and said to herself "Now now...we cannot be damaging that pretty face of yours, you know that." Dolphin teleported in, and waved the image on the window to stop playing it's horrible story of Filia murdering Xelloss and Tsunami over and over again.p  
  
The dark lord's hands closed around Filia's wrists, surprisingly gentle. Filia's screamed stopped so suddenly that Dolphin was astonished by the silence. The blondes blue eyes looked into Dolphins, almost pleading. p  
  
"Will you accept now or will this have to continue? You are rather stubbron though, that much I will award you." Dolphin smiled sweetly, looking upon her prize. p  
  
Filia turned to look at the window with it's frozen image, pursing her chapped lips, causing them to crack and bleed slighty. She nodded once in acceptance.p  
  
Dolphin smiled. "Oh...poor thing." Dolphin brushed the blonds hair with her hand as she held Filia. "Don't fret, I'll make it all better. I promise." P  
  
center*****/centerP  
  
"Xelloss-san...do you think it worked?" Amelia asked as they walked back to the ship.p  
  
Xelloss shrugged his shoulders. "Who knows? He's unpredictable...you should know that more than any of us by now."p  
  
Amelia nodded and walked the rest of the way back to the ship in silence next to the trickster. *Well...I hoped it worked enough to get him to realize that he is not as bad as he thinks.....* She sighed. p  
  
They approached the ship in silence...there was no one on the ship save some of the crew members. Xelloss pat Amelia's shoulder and motioned to the doorway to the lower decks. "I suggest you get some rest."p  
  
Amelia nodded and did as suggested. When she stepped into her room, she yawned largely, reached over to the dest top and grabbing her nightgown. Slipping out of her soceress outfit and putting on the comfortable gown. For quite a while the princess sat, reading a book about magical theory and multiple uses. After she felt the ship set sail, she stood, comming before her small vanity. p  
  
She sat infront of the mirror, combing her hair with an absent mind, letting her thoughts drift over the song she sang to Zelgadis. p  
  
So absorbed into her thought, that the knock on the door sent her about three feet in the air in fright. p  
  
"Y..yes?" She called. p  
  
No answer. p  
  
Amelia, being with Lina long enough to practice caution, called out her question again, only to be once again met with silence.p  
  
She cracked open the door, ready to fling the fireball building at her finger tips at any would be intruder...p  
  
but met emptiness. Looking down she noticed a little slip of paper. The princess bent down and picked it up, reading it's simple words and complex meaning, in Zelgadis' hand writing.p  
  
iI'm sorry./ip  
  
Amelia baffled over this note for a while, wondering what he was sorry about. Was he sorry for making her angry earlier? Was he telling her that he didn't want her? Was he confused? Well she sure was. Curling the paper between her fingertips, she walked with a lost expression down the hallway, not realizing she had been walking until she came up to the deck.p  
  
Blinking a few times, she shook her head at herself. iHow can I be so absentminded that I wandered all the way updeck?/i Her eyes drifted to a lone figure...ironically draped over the rail like a man she acused him of being alike was earlier. She walked up to him, the same exact approached as before, and leaned over the rail next to him, staying silent for a long time.p  
  
Finally Zelgadis sighed and closed his eyes. That seemed to prod Amelia forward.p  
  
"What are you sorry about?" Amelia asked quietly.p  
  
Zelgadis didn't move. His eyes remained closed for a long time, and he said not a word. After about five minutes of silence, Amelia picked herself off the rail and turned to go back below deck, figuring he was in one of his "moods"...p  
  
"A lot of things, I suppose...when you think 'bout it." He muttered, keeping his eyes closed.p  
  
Amelia turned and looked at him, with his back to her. "A lot of things? Can't you be more specific?" She said in a slightly snappy tone.p  
  
Zelgadis straitened and turned, opening his eyes and looking at her up and down. "Oi...you sure have been cranky. Is it that time of the month?"p  
  
*twitch* "Do you want to find out?" She asked in a dangerous sweet tone, feeling the fireball of justice tinging in her fingers. p  
  
Zelgadis' eyes grew wide. "You are spending too much time with Lina!" He laughed a little.p  
  
Amelia blinked...realizing that she WAS acting a lot like her companion. She brushed herself off and laughed a little herself. "Sorry...I have been going through a lot...emotionally, metally, physically...socially... morally even...." She smiled a little and put her hands behind her back.p  
  
Zelgadis nodded and folded his arms across his chest. "Well...to answer your question...what I said earlier...and everything I have said that has hurt you feelings. It's not like I am out to hurt you, you know...it...just seems to happen. Like the comment I made way back about your family....I should have realized..." He swollowed. "Sometimes I am not very good at keeping my mouth shut when I should. I guess..." He trailed off.p  
  
Amelia smirked and decided to finish his sentence. "You can be as bad as Gourry with that?"p  
  
Zelgadis glared at her. "Ok...now you have been around Xelloss too long as well. But yes...I guess...worst sometimes..." The shrugged. "I am not very good at socializing."p  
  
Amelia shook her head at him and let her princess face slip on: serious and firm. "Zelgadis, I wish you would open you eyes." She turned to walk away again. "And thank you for the apology. It means more to me than you will ever know. And I am sorry for everything I have ever said to you that was hurtful...like the time we first met."p  
  
Zelgadis reached out and grabbed ahold of her arm and turned her to look at him. "Wait, Amelia..."p  
  
She was startled, and did not protest as she looked at her old travel companion...the man she loved so dearly. "What is it?"p  
  
He stepped forward and hugged her. "Thank you. I understand what you were trying to tell me...and...and I know how you feel. But I am not ready for...something...like that. Please understand. I...need time. I am..." His voice dropped to a whisper as he hugged her.p  
  
Amelia felt her tears welling up. iWell...at least he isn't yelling at me....and he is just saying that he is not ready.../i Her arms came up and around his back as she buried her face into his chest. "W...when will you be ready?" She asked quietly.p  
  
"I don't know. I guess I have to ask you to forgive me again." He answered back quietly.p  
  
"Won't you ever drop your search?"p  
  
"....no. I feel like a monster, and that's the way I will always feel when I look in a mirror. No matter how human you make me feel inside, the outside will never change, and I think someday it might drive me insane...." He very gently, to avoid scratching her with one of the stones on his face, laid his cheek on the top of her head, closing his eyes again.p  
  
Amelia understood. She also knew why she couldn't ask to go with him on his search: he would refuse it. With good reason. As much as she loved him...he needed to search alone. This was more than a cure for his body...but his mind. And that is something she would only get in the way of. She could feel the body wracking tears starting to build up as he held her quietly.p  
  
"Zelgadis-san...."p  
  
"Don't say that."p  
  
"Say what?"p  
  
"'san'...please just call me Zelgadis. I know you are polite but drop the manners with me and just call me by my name. You are familiar enough with me to use it that way." He mumbled. p  
  
"Ok...I'll try. It's kind of habit though. But I'll try..." Amelia said...ihe knew what I was going to ask him and stopped me..../ip  
  
The pulled away finally and he looked at her tear streaked face. "You're crying..."p  
  
"Pretty good observation." She grumbled, wiping the tears away with the back of her hand. p  
  
"WAY too much time with Lina." He whispered with a smile, leaning forward and kissed her on the cheek quickly, blushing furiously as he did so. "That's about the most you are going to get out of me for a while. Gomen ne..." p  
  
Amelia was blushing as well, and smiled broadly. "It's enough to keep me waiting."p 


End file.
